hotair--2020-02-16--I Was a Teenage Were-Lawyer: Sunday reflection

Jesus said to his disciples : “ Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets .
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill .
Amen , I say to you , until heaven and earth pass away , not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law , until all things have taken place .
Therefore , whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven .
But whoever obeys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest in the kingdom of heaven .
I tell you , unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees , you will not enter the kingdom of heaven .
You have heard that it was said to your ancestors , You shall not kill ; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment .
But I say to you , whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment ; and whoever says to his brother , ‘ Raqa , ’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin ; and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna .
Therefore , if you bring your gift to the altar , and there recall that your brother has anything against you , leave your gift there at the altar , go first and be reconciled with your brother , and then come and offer your gift .
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court .
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge , and the judge will hand you over to the guard , and you will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say to you , you will not be released until you have paid the last penny .
“ You have heard that it was said , You shall not commit adultery .
But I say to you , everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart .
If your right eye causes you to sin , tear it out and throw it away .
It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to sin , cut it off and throw it away .
It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna .
“ It was also said , Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you , whoever divorces his wife—unless the marriage is unlawful— causes her to commit adultery , and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery .
“ Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors , Do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good to the Lord all that you vow .
But I say to you , do not swear at all ; not by heaven , for it is God ’ s throne ; nor by the earth , for it is his footstool ; nor by Jerusalem , for it is the city of the great King .
Do not swear by your head , for you can not make a single hair white or black .
Let your ‘ Yes ’ mean ‘ Yes , ’ and your ‘ No ’ mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evil one.
” At one point , my mother was convinced that I would be a lawyer .
As it turned out , I was only an adolescent .
I discovered this truth when I became a parent myself , and had to deal with opposing counsel on every minute issue of the rules .
No one argues around parental authority better than a teenager — in fact , no one studies it harder and knows it better .
As a parent , I finally figured that much out , even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an adolescent myself .
Adolescents have an excuse , of course , even if we don ’ t like to acknowledge it .
Part of growing up is finding an identity separate from that of your parents , becoming your own person , and establishing your own path .
All we can do is set the boundaries in place until they get clever enough to start working around them , and at that point we either reset the boundaries or we establish our authority in other ways .
As most parents know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sometimes simultaneously .
Eventually , we are left to hope and pray that they don ’ t utterly derail themselves — that some part of our wisdom and experience will speak to them , and that they will realize that we didn ’ t have the rules to spoil their fun but to keep them safe and happy .
And God says , “ Welcome to my world.
” Today ’ s Gospel and reading speak directly to this same relationship between the Lord and His children .
Moses received the commandments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God , a way that we could know how to serve and please Him .
But the gift from the Lord meant more than that ; it also was our guide to pleasing ourselves by orienting our will to His .
As Sirach prophesies in our first reading , “ If you choose to keep the Commandments , they will save you.
” What do we learn in the Decalogue ?
The first three have to do with serving the Lord : to love God and serve no other man-created gods , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and to not insult Him by presumptuously invoking His name for our purposes .
After that , the rest of the commandments have to do with not making ourselves miserable .
Take a day off every week , treat your parents well , don ’ t get envious , don ’ t lie , cheat , steal , or kill .
What ’ s so difficult or imposing about those ?
If God hadn ’ t written that on a stone tablet , someone would make a fortune off that list today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a Happier You !
Unfortunately , we immediately became adolescents , looking for the loopholes in the law that allow us to make ourselves miserable and crazy .
The Lord gave Moses over 600 more rules for life in the desert , and the Israelites chafed at them , too .
By the time Jesus began his mission , the law was used as a cudgel by the temple authorities and a game by most others to parse out where we can do what we want without penalty .
And it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; to this day , we tend to look at the Lord ’ s commandments and Jesus ’ teachings as bonds rather than liberation .
We chafe at them because we fall into the oldest sin in the world — the desire to be our own god .
That is the original Original Sin , the presumption that we can know good and evil better than God Himself .
We are like every teenager we know or were as we try to establish our identities separate from the Lord rather than embrace our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and protection .
This Gospel reading sounds dire if read through that prism .
Jesus isn ’ t just warning us that we ’ ll go to Hell for what we do , but even for what we think and desire !
Who could possibly pass that test ?
There ’ s no escape !
That , however , is not what Jesus teaches in this Gospel .
He ’ s not condemning the whole human race for what is in our hearts at any one time .
Instead , Jesus is teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , not bind us , by acting as a teaching to change our hearts .
We are meant to embrace the law , not dodge it and argue technicalities to get off the hook for the consequences that follow .
Jesus is telling His disciples that the Law is the heart of God , and that our salvation comes from forming our own hearts to His .
That is why Jesus says He has come to fulfill it to “ the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ salvation .
He writes that law on our hearts and gives us the grace through Christ to recognize and embrace it .
We are set free from the bonds of this world through His law , not enslaved by it or impoverished by it .
In order to accept that , though , we have to surrender ourselves to His will and His wisdom .
That ’ s about as easy to do as to tell your parents they turned out to be right about some warning they gave you .
Speaking of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call today … The front-page image is a detail from “ Communion of the Apostles ” by Luca Signorelli c.1512 .
Currently housed at the Diocesean Museun of Cortana , Tuscany .
Via Wikimedia Commons .
“ Sunday Reflection ” is a regular feature , looking at the specific readings used in today ’ s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world .
The reflection represents only my own point of view , intended to help prepare myself for the Lord ’ s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion .
Previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be found here .
For previous Green Room entries , click here .

This morning’s Gospel reading is Matthew 5:17–37:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. “It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife—unless the marriage is unlawful— causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”
At one point, my mother was convinced that I would be a lawyer. As it turned out, I was only an adolescent. I discovered this truth when I became a parent myself, and had to deal with opposing counsel on every minute issue of the rules. No one argues around parental authority better than a teenager — in fact, no one studies it harder and knows it better. As a parent, I finally figured that much out, even if I intuited as much when I was an adolescent myself.
Adolescents have an excuse, of course, even if we don’t like to acknowledge it. Part of growing up is finding an identity separate from that of your parents, becoming your own person, and establishing your own path. All we can do is set the boundaries in place until they get clever enough to start working around them, and at that point we either reset the boundaries or we establish our authority in other ways. As most parents know, we usually try both, sometimes alternately and sometimes simultaneously. Eventually, we are left to hope and pray that they don’t utterly derail themselves — that some part of our wisdom and experience will speak to them, and that they will realize that we didn’t have the rules to spoil their fun but to keep them safe and happy.
And God says, “Welcome to my world.”
Today’s Gospel and reading speak directly to this same relationship between the Lord and His children. Moses received the commandments on the mountaintop as a gift from God, a way that we could know how to serve and please Him. But the gift from the Lord meant more than that; it also was our guide to pleasing ourselves by orienting our will to His. As Sirach prophesies in our first reading, “If you choose to keep the Commandments, they will save you.”
What do we learn in the Decalogue? The first three have to do with serving the Lord: to love God and serve no other man-created gods, to not make any gods ourselves to worship, and to not insult Him by presumptuously invoking His name for our purposes. After that, the rest of the commandments have to do with not making ourselves miserable. Take a day off every week, treat your parents well, don’t get envious, don’t lie, cheat, steal, or kill.
What’s so difficult or imposing about those? If God hadn’t written that on a stone tablet, someone would make a fortune off that list today as a self-help book. Ten Steps to a Happier You!
Unfortunately, we immediately became adolescents, looking for the loopholes in the law that allow us to make ourselves miserable and crazy. The Lord gave Moses over 600 more rules for life in the desert, and the Israelites chafed at them, too. By the time Jesus began his mission, the law was used as a cudgel by the temple authorities and a game by most others to parse out where we can do what we want without penalty.
And it’s not just the Israelites, either; to this day, we tend to look at the Lord’s commandments and Jesus’ teachings as bonds rather than liberation. We chafe at them because we fall into the oldest sin in the world — the desire to be our own god. That is the original Original Sin, the presumption that we can know good and evil better than God Himself. We are like every teenager we know or were as we try to establish our identities separate from the Lord rather than embrace our status as His children under His authority and protection.
This Gospel reading sounds dire if read through that prism. Jesus isn’t just warning us that we’ll go to Hell for what we do, but even for what we think and desire! Who could possibly pass that test? There’s no escape!
That, however, is not what Jesus teaches in this Gospel. He’s not condemning the whole human race for what is in our hearts at any one time. Instead, Jesus is teaching that the law is meant to serve us, not bind us, by acting as a teaching to change our hearts. We are meant to embrace the law, not dodge it and argue technicalities to get off the hook for the consequences that follow.
Jesus is telling His disciples that the Law is the heart of God, and that our salvation comes from forming our own hearts to His. That is why Jesus says He has come to fulfill it to “the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter,” because it is the full path to salvation. He writes that law on our hearts and gives us the grace through Christ to recognize and embrace it. We are set free from the bonds of this world through His law, not enslaved by it or impoverished by it.
In order to accept that, though, we have to surrender ourselves to His will and His wisdom. That’s about as easy to do as to tell your parents they turned out to be right about some warning they gave you. Speaking of which, I may owe my folks a call today …
The front-page image is a detail from “Communion of the Apostles” by Luca Signorelli c.1512. Currently housed at the Diocesean Museun of Cortana, Tuscany. Via Wikimedia Commons.
“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here. For previous Green Room entries, click here.


hotair--2020-02-16--NYC Business owners in Grand Central say the homeless have "taken over"

Most of the time , when we ’ re discussing the spreading crisis of homelessness here , we ’ re talking about the west coast .
But the problem isn ’ t exclusive to California and Washington by any means .
There are plenty of homeless across the country , including New York City .
But unlike Los Angeles , the Big Apple experiences real winters with snow , sleet and freezing temperatures .
That means that the homeless can ’ t just crash on the sidewalks and they need to find a place indoors to stay warm .
Increasingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside of Grand Central Terminal , frequently in the food courts .
And the business owners there are fed up .
Unfortunately , they say that nobody from City Hall or the MTA is paying attention to their complaints .
( CBS New York ) From sleeping on the ground to stealing , some business owners in Grand Central Terminal say the homeless population is taking over and they simply can ’ t take it anymore .
Inside the world-class transit hub adorned with grand chandeliers , you ’ ll find men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on benches , using drinking fountains to bathe and walking barefoot feet away from where about two dozen business owners are trying to make a living selling food .
“ At 5:30 in the afternoon , it becomes a homeless shelter , ” business owner Joe Germanotta said .
From the descriptions given by several business owners who were interviewed , things have seriously deteriorated over the past few years .
They ’ ve experienced homeless people sleeping at the food court tables , exposing their genitals to customers and aggressively panhandling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them money .
Seeing a vagrant bathing themselves in the public drinking fountain doesn ’ t exactly attract customers either .
But the MTA insists that they ’ re doing everything they can and they don ’ t see it as that big of a problem anyway .
Rather than going after the transit cops , the business owners should be taking their complaints straight to City Hall and the District Attorney ’ s office .
The reason this problem has grown exponentially in the past four or five years can be found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blasio administration .
Starting back in 2016 , the DA for Manhattan announced that they would no longer be prosecuting so-called “ quality of life crimes ” such as sleeping on public property or public urination or defecation .
More offices followed suit , and in March of last year , prosecutors in Manhattan and the Bronx announced that they were summarily dropping all summons for “ petty crimes ” that fell under those categories .
While the laws aren ’ t officially off the books , this decriminalization effort is almost identical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California .
And they ’ re producing the same results .
When you let people know that you ’ re not going to be arresting or detaining them for certain illegal behavior the result is predictable .
You see more of that behavior .
The homeless have learned that the city won ’ t punish them for all of this activity so they ’ re taking advantage of what looks like an invitation to terrorize the subway system .
And Grand Central is an obvious target because of its size and labyrinth of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the homeless isn ’ t a solution to homelessness .
The city has to find more beds and roofs for them and institute productive assistance programs .
But when homelessness turns into criminal behavior such as we ’ re seeing here , law enforcement has to step in and remind people that they can ’ t just run amuck .

Most of the time, when we’re discussing the spreading crisis of homelessness here, we’re talking about the west coast. But the problem isn’t exclusive to California and Washington by any means. There are plenty of homeless across the country, including New York City. But unlike Los Angeles, the Big Apple experiences real winters with snow, sleet and freezing temperatures. That means that the homeless can’t just crash on the sidewalks and they need to find a place indoors to stay warm.
Increasingly, they’ve set up encampments inside of Grand Central Terminal, frequently in the food courts. And the business owners there are fed up. Unfortunately, they say that nobody from City Hall or the MTA is paying attention to their complaints. (CBS New York)
From sleeping on the ground to stealing, some business owners in Grand Central Terminal say the homeless population is taking over and they simply can’t take it anymore. Inside the world-class transit hub adorned with grand chandeliers, you’ll find men and women sleeping at tables, hunched over on benches, using drinking fountains to bathe and walking barefoot feet away from where about two dozen business owners are trying to make a living selling food. “At 5:30 in the afternoon, it becomes a homeless shelter,” business owner Joe Germanotta said.
From the descriptions given by several business owners who were interviewed, things have seriously deteriorated over the past few years. They’ve experienced homeless people sleeping at the food court tables, exposing their genitals to customers and aggressively panhandling, threatening people who don’t give them money. Seeing a vagrant bathing themselves in the public drinking fountain doesn’t exactly attract customers either. But the MTA insists that they’re doing everything they can and they don’t see it as that big of a problem anyway.
Rather than going after the transit cops, the business owners should be taking their complaints straight to City Hall and the District Attorney’s office. The reason this problem has grown exponentially in the past four or five years can be found in the policies enacted under the de Blasio administration. Starting back in 2016, the DA for Manhattan announced that they would no longer be prosecuting so-called “quality of life crimes” such as sleeping on public property or public urination or defecation.
More offices followed suit, and in March of last year, prosecutors in Manhattan and the Bronx announced that they were summarily dropping all summons for “petty crimes” that fell under those categories. While the laws aren’t officially off the books, this decriminalization effort is almost identical to similar policies currently in place in California. And they’re producing the same results.
When you let people know that you’re not going to be arresting or detaining them for certain illegal behavior the result is predictable. You see more of that behavior. The homeless have learned that the city won’t punish them for all of this activity so they’re taking advantage of what looks like an invitation to terrorize the subway system. And Grand Central is an obvious target because of its size and labyrinth of tunnels and chambers.
Arresting and locking up the homeless isn’t a solution to homelessness. The city has to find more beds and roofs for them and institute productive assistance programs. But when homelessness turns into criminal behavior such as we’re seeing here, law enforcement has to step in and remind people that they can’t just run amuck.


hotair--2020-02-16--Biden accuses Sanders of not being enough of a gun grabber

Things are getting testy out in Nevada as we crash headlong toward caucus day .
And with Joe Biden seeing his previous lead in the polls slipping away to Bernie Sanders , he has to find a way to draw a distinction and deflate some of the Democratic Socialist ’ s momentum .
That means breaking out the oppo folder and finding some of Bernie ’ s old votes to throw in his face .
This weekend Uncle Joe reached all the way back to 2005 when Sanders was still in the House of Representatives , bringing up his vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commerce in Arms Act ( PLCAA ) .
That ’ s the law that protects firearms manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits .
Biden talked about “ carnage in our streets ” and pledged to help overturn the law so manufacturers can be sued out of business .
And then , without mentioning the Vermont Senator by name , he reminded the audience that “ some… people ” running for the nomination helped pass the bill .
( Associated Press ) “ When I ’ m the president , we ’ ll take them on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents who are trying now to sue for the pain and mayhem they have caused , ” Biden said on stage at the Tropicana casino-resort .
The resort sits adjacent to the grounds where a gunman in 2017 unleashed a torrent of gunfire on a country music festival—an incident that only Biden referred to Saturday night .
Biden , after decrying “ carnage in our streets ” and the anguish of families whose loved ones were killed in gun violence , said he “ will not rest until they ’ re able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban on assault weapons.
” Biden didn ’ t cite Sanders by name when referring to a 2005 federal law that shields gun makers from liability in most crimes , but said , “ some of the people running for office voted for that exemption.
” Biden went on to say , “ Ladies and gentlemen that immunity was granted .
Granted .
And it was a horrible , horrible decision.
” It ’ s true that Sanders voted in favor of the PLCAA ( in a rare moment of common sense ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate .
But keep in mind that this isn ’ t really a gun control issue unless you believe that making guns less available by bankrupting the companies who make them falls into that category .
Of course , it also makes guns less available to lawful gun owners who are able to pass background checks .
What happened to Joe ’ s famous respect for the law-abiding ?
Somehow I don ’ t think a promise to repeal the PLCAA is going to go over as well as Biden seems to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Opposition to that law demonstrates a lack of common sense on the part of the candidate to anyone who ’ s actually paying attention .
Biden framed his statement in the context of getting rid of so-called “ assault rifles.
” But if you ’ re going to blame the manufacturer of a weapon for what someone later does with it , let ’ s review the most recent FBI crime statistics yet again .
Of 12,278 murders committed in the United States in 2018 , 235 were committed using rifles .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the scary looking ones .
By contrast , 1,545 were killed by someone using “ knives or cutting instruments.
” Another 431 were murdered through the use of “ blunt objects ” including baseball bats and hammers .
Both of these categories accounted for far more “ carnage in our streets ” the rifles .
So should the manufacturers of kitchen cutlery sets be sued out of business ?
Perhaps the Louisville Slugger factory should be shut down , along with Craftsman and everyone else that sells carpentry tools .
Is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as President ?
This is a fruitless line of attack and Sanders has long since retracted his support for the PLCAA .
And Joe Biden is probably going after the wrong competitor anyway .
He and Sanders fish from different pools of voters in the primary .
If he ’ s losing ground to Bernie Sanders it ’ s because some of his most likely supporters are being drawn away by Buttigieg and Klobuchar .
And more recently , you can add Bloomberg to that list .
If Joe wants to get his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should probably be trying to consolidate the more moderate voters under his flag and leave the socialist vote to Bernie .

Things are getting testy out in Nevada as we crash headlong toward caucus day. And with Joe Biden seeing his previous lead in the polls slipping away to Bernie Sanders, he has to find a way to draw a distinction and deflate some of the Democratic Socialist’s momentum. That means breaking out the oppo folder and finding some of Bernie’s old votes to throw in his face. This weekend Uncle Joe reached all the way back to 2005 when Sanders was still in the House of Representatives, bringing up his vote in favor of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). That’s the law that protects firearms manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits.
Biden talked about “carnage in our streets” and pledged to help overturn the law so manufacturers can be sued out of business. And then, without mentioning the Vermont Senator by name, he reminded the audience that “some… people” running for the nomination helped pass the bill. (Associated Press)
“When I’m the president, we’ll take them on, remove the immunity and allow those parents who are trying now to sue for the pain and mayhem they have caused,” Biden said on stage at the Tropicana casino-resort. The resort sits adjacent to the grounds where a gunman in 2017 unleashed a torrent of gunfire on a country music festival—an incident that only Biden referred to Saturday night. Biden, after decrying “carnage in our streets” and the anguish of families whose loved ones were killed in gun violence, said he “will not rest until they’re able to sue the gun manufacturers and get a ban on assault weapons.” Biden didn’t cite Sanders by name when referring to a 2005 federal law that shields gun makers from liability in most crimes, but said, “some of the people running for office voted for that exemption.”
Biden went on to say, “Ladies and gentlemen that immunity was granted. Granted. And it was a horrible, horrible decision.”
It’s true that Sanders voted in favor of the PLCAA (in a rare moment of common sense) and Biden voted against it in the Senate. But keep in mind that this isn’t really a gun control issue unless you believe that making guns less available by bankrupting the companies who make them falls into that category. Of course, it also makes guns less available to lawful gun owners who are able to pass background checks. What happened to Joe’s famous respect for the law-abiding?
Somehow I don’t think a promise to repeal the PLCAA is going to go over as well as Biden seems to believe, even in the Democratic primary. Opposition to that law demonstrates a lack of common sense on the part of the candidate to anyone who’s actually paying attention. Biden framed his statement in the context of getting rid of so-called “assault rifles.” But if you’re going to blame the manufacturer of a weapon for what someone later does with it, let’s review the most recent FBI crime statistics yet again.
Of 12,278 murders committed in the United States in 2018, 235 were committed using rifles. And that rifles of all types, not just the scary looking ones. By contrast, 1,545 were killed by someone using “knives or cutting instruments.” Another 431 were murdered through the use of “blunt objects” including baseball bats and hammers. Both of these categories accounted for far more “carnage in our streets” the rifles.
So should the manufacturers of kitchen cutlery sets be sued out of business? Perhaps the Louisville Slugger factory should be shut down, along with Craftsman and everyone else that sells carpentry tools. Is that what Joe Biden would like to see as President?
This is a fruitless line of attack and Sanders has long since retracted his support for the PLCAA. And Joe Biden is probably going after the wrong competitor anyway. He and Sanders fish from different pools of voters in the primary. If he’s losing ground to Bernie Sanders it’s because some of his most likely supporters are being drawn away by Buttigieg and Klobuchar. And more recently, you can add Bloomberg to that list. If Joe wants to get his momentum back and start challenging Sanders he should probably be trying to consolidate the more moderate voters under his flag and leave the socialist vote to Bernie.


hotair--2020-02-16--Sunday morning talking heads

Sunday morning talking heads

A rich , diverse array of topics and guests awaits this fine Sunday morning .
On “ This Week , ” it ’ s Amy Klobuchar discussing her surprisingly strong third-place finish in New Hampshire and her prospects for parlaying that into a win in Nevada next weekend .
Meanwhile , on “ Meet the Press , ” it ’ s … Amy Klobuchar , discussing those same subjects .
Turning to “ Face the Nation , ” it ’ s , uh , let ’ s see .
Amy Klobuchar .
And on “ State of the Union ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not booked on “ Fox News Sunday ” as I write this on Saturday morning .
Yet .
Not yet .
The full-court press makes sense , though .
Klobuchar ’ s biggest worry right now is getting lost in the crowd of centrists who are still in contention .
She ’ s had some promising fundraising since her New Hampshire showing but nothing that ’ s going to make her competitive with Bernie or , lord knows , Mike Bloomberg on Super Tuesday .
She needs all the free media she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hurriedly introduce herself to voters in Nevada and beyond .
Pete Buttigieg is in the same position although he ’ s had more media buzz lately than Klobuchar due to his near-win in New Hampshire and win ( or near-win ? )
in Iowa .
He ’ ll be on “ State of the Union ” and “ Fox News Sunday.
” Joe Biden will also make a rare Sunday morning appearance , chatting with “ Meet the Press ” to remind Democratic voters that he ’ s not beat yet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to 20 percent of the vote recently in polling of South Carolina , will make his case this morning too by guesting on “ This Week ” and “ Face the Nation.
” If you ’ re tired of 2020 chatter and eager for a subject that ’ s somewhat less grim , Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will also be on “ Face the Nation ” to handicap the possibility that we ’ re all going to die of coronavirus .
The full line-up @ @ @ @ @

A rich, diverse array of topics and guests awaits this fine Sunday morning. On “This Week,” it’s Amy Klobuchar discussing her surprisingly strong third-place finish in New Hampshire and her prospects for parlaying that into a win in Nevada next weekend.
Meanwhile, on “Meet the Press,” it’s … Amy Klobuchar, discussing those same subjects.
Turning to “Face the Nation,” it’s, uh, let’s see. Amy Klobuchar.
And on “State of the Union”? Right. Klobuchar.
She’s not booked on “Fox News Sunday” as I write this on Saturday morning. Yet. Not yet.
The full-court press makes sense, though. Klobuchar’s biggest worry right now is getting lost in the crowd of centrists who are still in contention. She’s had some promising fundraising since her New Hampshire showing but nothing that’s going to make her competitive with Bernie or, lord knows, Mike Bloomberg on Super Tuesday. She needs all the free media she can get, 24/7 if possible, to hurriedly introduce herself to voters in Nevada and beyond.
Pete Buttigieg is in the same position although he’s had more media buzz lately than Klobuchar due to his near-win in New Hampshire and win (or near-win?) in Iowa. He’ll be on “State of the Union” and “Fox News Sunday.” Joe Biden will also make a rare Sunday morning appearance, chatting with “Meet the Press” to remind Democratic voters that he’s not beat yet. Tom Steyer, who’s pulled close to 20 percent of the vote recently in polling of South Carolina, will make his case this morning too by guesting on “This Week” and “Face the Nation.”
If you’re tired of 2020 chatter and eager for a subject that’s somewhat less grim, Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will also be on “Face the Nation” to handicap the possibility that we’re all going to die of coronavirus. The full line-up is at the AP.


hotair--2020-02-15--Kate Steinle's killer found incompetent to stand trial on gun charges

The illegal immigrant who killed Kate Steinle in 2015 has been found mentally incompetent and therefore not able to stand trial on gun charges related to the case .
U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria said in a court order that a psychiatric evaluator had concluded Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate was not competent to stand trial “ because of mental illness that is not presently being treated.
” Chhabria said he would meet with lawyers from both sides next week to discuss the next steps .
If either side objects to the findings , a hearing would likely be required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neither side disputes the findings , the court will discuss whether the defendant should be treated locally for mental illness or sent to a federal facility outside California .
Zarate was acquitted of the murder of Steinle in 2017 but was convicted on a charge of being a felon in possession of a gun .
An alternate juror explained after the trial that the murder charge seemed like a stretch to jurors because the bullet bounced off the pavement .
In theory , Zarate could have been convicted of manslaughter , but for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take place in connection with an underlying crime .
In Zarate ’ s case , prosecutors said the underlying crime was brandishing the gun before it went off .
That fit with some of Zarate ’ s own statements prior to the trial , i.e .
that he was pointing the gun at sea lions before it went off .
But prosecutors apparently never offered any evidence at trial that Zarate was brandishing the gun .
The alternate juror suggested that if prosecutors had simply chosen possession of a firearm by a felon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge Zarate was convicted on ) , he would have been convicted of manslaughter .
However , Zarate appealed the gun conviction last January on the grounds that the judge had failed to instruct the jury he could be found not guilty if he was only temporarily in possession of the gun .
Last September he won the appeal and his conviction was overturned .
Now Zarate ’ s attorney says he will seek a second opinion on his client ’ s mental state : “ We want a trial , ” Serra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re against having him ( found ) incompetent .
He could go away for an indefinite period ” to a mental hospital , under government supervision… But if the case goes to trial , he said , Garcia Zarate would be able to cooperate adequately with his attorneys because “ I don ’ t need him much .
We can do it all on evidence of the video ” showing his brief possession of the gun before the shooting .
Even if Garcia Zarate were convicted , Serra said , he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent behind bars since the shooting and “ could be out very quickly ” — possibly much sooner than he would be released from a mental hospital if found incompetent .
In either event , he would face immediate deportation .
Zarate has been deported five times and each time has returned to the United States illegally .
He served four years in prison for his fifth re-entry and was then sent to San Francisco on an old drug charge .
San Francisco ’ s prosecutor dropped the drug charge and ICE sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be held until they could pick him up ( to begin his sixth deportation ) .
Instead , San Francisco released Zarate under its sanctuary city policy .
That was in mid-April 2015 .
Kate Steinle was killed less than three months later .

The illegal immigrant who killed Kate Steinle in 2015 has been found mentally incompetent and therefore not able to stand trial on gun charges related to the case.
U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria said in a court order that a psychiatric evaluator had concluded Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate was not competent to stand trial “because of mental illness that is not presently being treated.” Chhabria said he would meet with lawyers from both sides next week to discuss the next steps. If either side objects to the findings, a hearing would likely be required to examine Garcia-Zarate’s competency. If neither side disputes the findings, the court will discuss whether the defendant should be treated locally for mental illness or sent to a federal facility outside California.
Zarate was acquitted of the murder of Steinle in 2017 but was convicted on a charge of being a felon in possession of a gun. An alternate juror explained after the trial that the murder charge seemed like a stretch to jurors because the bullet bounced off the pavement. In theory, Zarate could have been convicted of manslaughter, but for that to happen the killing had to take place in connection with an underlying crime. In Zarate’s case, prosecutors said the underlying crime was brandishing the gun before it went off. That fit with some of Zarate’s own statements prior to the trial, i.e. that he was pointing the gun at sea lions before it went off. But prosecutors apparently never offered any evidence at trial that Zarate was brandishing the gun. The alternate juror suggested that if prosecutors had simply chosen possession of a firearm by a felon as the underlying crime (the one charge Zarate was convicted on), he would have been convicted of manslaughter.
However, Zarate appealed the gun conviction last January on the grounds that the judge had failed to instruct the jury he could be found not guilty if he was only temporarily in possession of the gun. Last September he won the appeal and his conviction was overturned. Now Zarate’s attorney says he will seek a second opinion on his client’s mental state:
“We want a trial,” Serra said in an interview. “We’re against having him (found) incompetent. He could go away for an indefinite period” to a mental hospital, under government supervision… But if the case goes to trial, he said, Garcia Zarate would be able to cooperate adequately with his attorneys because “I don’t need him much. We can do it all on evidence of the video” showing his brief possession of the gun before the shooting. Even if Garcia Zarate were convicted, Serra said, he would get credit for the years he has spent behind bars since the shooting and “could be out very quickly” — possibly much sooner than he would be released from a mental hospital if found incompetent. In either event, he would face immediate deportation.
Zarate has been deported five times and each time has returned to the United States illegally. He served four years in prison for his fifth re-entry and was then sent to San Francisco on an old drug charge. San Francisco’s prosecutor dropped the drug charge and ICE sent the city a detainer asking that Zarate be held until they could pick him up (to begin his sixth deportation). Instead, San Francisco released Zarate under its sanctuary city policy. That was in mid-April 2015. Kate Steinle was killed less than three months later.


hotair--2020-02-15--Solidarity? Rep. Tlaib detained during protest in Detroit, others arrested

It looks like Rep. Rashida Tlaib is following the Jane Fonda playbook on civil disobedience – encourage others to protest and watch them get hauled off to jail while she is briefly detained and released .
She ’ s letting the little people – the ones she ’ s fighting for , allegedly – take the heat while she enjoys the headlines .
Protests were held at various airports Friday to voice complaints of low wages and a lack of health insurance benefits for the catering crews working for Delta Air Lines , as well as United Airlines and American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstration against Delta at Detroit Metro Airport as she sat in a road with eight other protesters .
She and her little group of workers were blocking traffic while over 100 people protested at the McNamara Terminal departure level of the airport .
Their signs read , “ Delta : One job should be enough.
” Some first reports claimed Tlaib was arrested so a communications representative with Local 24 of Unite Here , a service workers ’ union posted a clarification on Twitter .
Tlaib was detained , not arrested .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see .
Tlaib even used a line that comrade Fonda is making popular again with social justice warriors – they were “ putting their bodies on the line ” .
Tlaib said she was proud to stand with the workers “ who are willing to put their bodies on the line ” and rode with the workers in the van as officers transported them for processing , but was not arrested with others , union officials said .
“ The airline catering workers are desperate for a better quality of life and put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against the exorbitant corporate greed by the airlines denying them of their right to a living wage and good healthcare , ” Tlaib said in a statement .
“ Working people in the kitchens at DTW and airports across the U.S. have been hurting for too long , but today we are saying no more .
Today , we are calling on Delta Air Lines to say that if it wants to really prove that it cares about the working families more than it does its bottom line , than it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catering industry so one job is enough for all airline workers.
” This protest was held during the time that Delta Air Lines was distributing $ 1.6 billion in profit-sharing Friday to its employees .
Protests were held at Delta hubs in Minneapolis and Seattle along with protests at United and American hubs in Boston , Charlotte , Dallas , Honolulu , Houston , Los Angeles , New York , Philadelphia , and San Francisco .
Catering employees feel they should get a cut of the company ’ s profits , too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its profits too , ” Lonmea Whitfield of Detroit says in the union release .
“ Through participating in this day of action , I want to show Delta that catering workers like me also deserve to share in its success.
” The 57-year-old has worked for Sky Chefs at Detroit Metropolitan Airport since 2015 .
Near Dallas , more than a dozen airline catering workers and supporters sat outside American Airlines headquarters Thursday and Friday in a “ hunger fast.
” Here ’ s the catch – catering employees are sub-contracters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s payroll .
The catering crews should be protesting at the offices of the contracting company who finds the employees for the airlines .
The airlines pay the contracter , not the employees directly .
The whole reason that companies use contract employees is to save money , to boost their bottom line .
In other words , the protesters are barking up the wrong tree .
Another member of The Squad sisters , Rep. Ilhan Omar , protested in Minneapolis .
Jane Sanders was in Minneapolis , too .
Bernie Sanders was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport .
I ’ ll ask this question as I end here : Does anyone fly with a specific airline because the food is good ?
Given a choice , don ’ t most people consider their treatment and pricing from the airlines first ?
I guess sitting in a road outside of a contracter ’ s office blocking Friday afternoon traffic isn ’ t as dramatic as doing it at an airport .

It looks like Rep. Rashida Tlaib is following the Jane Fonda playbook on civil disobedience – encourage others to protest and watch them get hauled off to jail while she is briefly detained and released. She’s letting the little people – the ones she’s fighting for, allegedly – take the heat while she enjoys the headlines.
Protests were held at various airports Friday to voice complaints of low wages and a lack of health insurance benefits for the catering crews working for Delta Air Lines, as well as United Airlines and American Airlines. Tlaib was detained during a demonstration against Delta at Detroit Metro Airport as she sat in a road with eight other protesters. She and her little group of workers were blocking traffic while over 100 people protested at the McNamara Terminal departure level of the airport. Their signs read, “Delta: One job should be enough.”
Some first reports claimed Tlaib was arrested so a communications representative with Local 24 of Unite Here, a service workers’ union posted a clarification on Twitter. Tlaib was detained, not arrested. She “participated in solidarity”, you see.
CORRECTION: Rep. @RashidaTlaib was not processed as an arrest with the other protesting workers, but did participate in solidarity in the civil disobedience, including joining the protesters in the van as officers took them for processing. — Diana Hussein (@heyadiana) February 14, 2020
Tlaib even used a line that comrade Fonda is making popular again with social justice warriors – they were “putting their bodies on the line”.
Tlaib said she was proud to stand with the workers “who are willing to put their bodies on the line” and rode with the workers in the van as officers transported them for processing, but was not arrested with others, union officials said. “The airline catering workers are desperate for a better quality of life and put their bodies on the line in their fight against the exorbitant corporate greed by the airlines denying them of their right to a living wage and good healthcare,” Tlaib said in a statement. “Working people in the kitchens at DTW and airports across the U.S. have been hurting for too long, but today we are saying no more. Today, we are calling on Delta Air Lines to say that if it wants to really prove that it cares about the working families more than it does its bottom line, than it will commit to ending poverty in the airline catering industry so one job is enough for all airline workers.”
We won't stop until we get #fairwages & #healthcare. These courageous people got arrested tonight at DTW b/c they believe workers deserve human dignity. Shame on you @Delta for leaving workers behind and letting them live in poverty. @unitehere https://t.co/njM6UQbjPu pic.twitter.com/msDm2XlowY — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) February 14, 2020
This protest was held during the time that Delta Air Lines was distributing $1.6 billion in profit-sharing Friday to its employees. Protests were held at Delta hubs in Minneapolis and Seattle along with protests at United and American hubs in Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Catering employees feel they should get a cut of the company’s profits, too.
“We’ve helped Delta earn its profits too,” Lonmea Whitfield of Detroit says in the union release. “Through participating in this day of action, I want to show Delta that catering workers like me also deserve to share in its success.” The 57-year-old has worked for Sky Chefs at Detroit Metropolitan Airport since 2015. Near Dallas, more than a dozen airline catering workers and supporters sat outside American Airlines headquarters Thursday and Friday in a “hunger fast.”
Here’s the catch – catering employees are sub-contracters, not regular employees on the company’s payroll. The catering crews should be protesting at the offices of the contracting company who finds the employees for the airlines. The airlines pay the contracter, not the employees directly. The whole reason that companies use contract employees is to save money, to boost their bottom line. In other words, the protesters are barking up the wrong tree.
Another member of The Squad sisters, Rep. Ilhan Omar, protested in Minneapolis. Jane Sanders was in Minneapolis, too.
As a former member, I know the power of unions. When we organize, we win! 💪🏽✊🏽 https://t.co/jER5BGSPQ5 — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 14, 2020
.@BernieSanders and I stand in solidarity with Minneapolis airport workers and @UniteHereLocal17, who are fighting for a living wage, healthcare benefits, and a fair contract. As always, impressed by @FlyingWithSara, who also spoke. #1job #unionsforall pic.twitter.com/oNHAYx7Odk — Jane O'Meara Sanders (@janeosanders) February 14, 2020
Bernie Sanders was down with the protesters at San Francisco International Airport.
Thanks for having our back, @BernieSanders! One job should be enough for the workers who prepare @AmericanAir, @Delta, and @United's in-flight food and beverage – and we're ready to fight for it today at #SFO.#1job #unitehere https://t.co/VQBt905Rlu — UNITE HERE Local 2 #TakeBack2020 (@UniteHereLocal2) February 14, 2020
I’ll ask this question as I end here: Does anyone fly with a specific airline because the food is good? Given a choice, don’t most people consider their treatment and pricing from the airlines first? I guess sitting in a road outside of a contracter’s office blocking Friday afternoon traffic isn’t as dramatic as doing it at an airport.


hotair--2020-02-15--Revealed: How the government keeps its UFO information secret

In the more than two years since the New York Times broke their bombshell story about a secret Pentagon program investigating UFOs ( or UAPs , if you insist ) , many questions have been raised by those investigating the topic .
Unfortunately , the Pentagon has had very little to say , and even when they do offer to answer some questions , those answers frequently have a rather short shelf life .
In the past , we ’ ve explored why there is still so much secrecy surrounding the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program ( AATIP ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep their stories straight .
This is particularly true when it comes to their statements about Luis Elizondo , executive of To The Stars Academy and the former Defense Department official who ran AATIP for several years .
( The Pentagon keeps insisting he never did , though Elizondo has his own theories as to why they ’ re doing this . )
Now , at long last , at least some of those mysteries have been solved .
Yesterday another bombshell in this saga dropped at Popular Mechanics .
Investigative journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been digging into the truth behind the conflicting information we ’ ve been getting for months and now he ’ s published a lengthy and incredibly well researched and documented article that peeks behind the curtains and shines some light on the subject .
( If you ’ ve never watched my interview with McMillan , you might want to .
He ’ s a fascinating person in his own right and well versed in the lore of ufology . )
This article provides most of the history of AATIP , some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some shocking new information that Tim uncovered through scores of interviews and by obtaining many documents from both the government and the now-defunct Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies ( BAASS ) .
BAASS , as you may recall , received the lion ’ s share of the government funding when the AATIP program was created at the request of former Senator Harry Reid .
The first thing McMillan clears up beyond a shadow of a doubt is that not only was AATIP real , but it was also absolutely a program focused on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after initially admitting it was a UAP program , the Pentagon turned around and said it wasn ’ t . )
So how is the Pentagon keeping everything secret and thwarting efforts by journalists using FOIA requests to get more information on AATIP ?
McMillan quotes sources who actually worked on the project , describing the situation as “ a dizzying shell game that ’ s entirely consistent with how black budget intelligence programs are run.
” The trick being used involves the fact that the documents many of us have been seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other private operations , so they aren ’ t technically “ government documents ” and not subject to FOIA requests .
( Emphasis added ) According to several former AATIP contractors , the “ product ” being produced for the DIA was technical reports on exotic and potential “ game-changing ” aerospace technologies , and the manner of determining what areas these radical airborne breakthroughs might emerge was through the research of UFOs .
In exchange , not only would the DIA get the agreed-upon technical reports , but it would also gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering on UFOs .
While the DIA had access to the volumes of UFO data , the materials were actually commercial property of BAASS , as a subsidiary of Bigelow Aerospace… The DIA may have had extensive access to the UFO materials , but because all of the data technically belonged to BAASS , under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 , disclosing or releasing proprietary materials provided to the government in confidence is a federal crime .
Essentially , the DIA ’ s UFO program was set up to circumvent FOIA requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let that sink in for a moment .
This was a massive program that almost no one knew anything about and it was explicitly crafted in a way that would allow them to keep all of the information from the public .
And it worked .
McMillan then goes on to confirm another key part of the story .
The Pentagon has claimed from the beginning that the AATIP program ended in 2012 .
But that ’ s not true at all and he ’ s got the documents to prove it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though restructured ) when Elizondo left the government in 2017 and it ’ s nearly a 100 % certainty that it ’ s still in operation today One other item I wanted to cover is a revelation that might at least give us a hint as to what all of those strange craft silently zooming around our skies actually are .
People who aren ’ t big on the idea of extraterrestrial life have repeatedly speculated that they might be some deep , secret project of our own .
But during a closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of our generals reportedly said that wasn ’ t the case .
So if we didn ’ t build those things , who did ?
The Russians ?
The Chinese ?
It seems implausible that either of them has zoomed that far past us in the limits of theoretical physics .
It ’ s left up to the reader to interpret what that means .
So now , with all that we ’ ve learned from McMillan ’ s research , we ’ re really no closer to knowing what additional information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to spill the beans .
But at least we know how they ’ ve managed to keep their secrets get away with lying to us so often .
Plausible deniability , folks .
I ’ ve only touched on a few of the biggest highlights in the Popular Mechanics article , so I ’ d strongly advise you to follow the traditional blogging maxim and read the whole thing .
In closing , I ’ ll just toss in one more recent story for your consideration and debate .
It was recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in New York City in 2019 was three times higher than the previous year .
Are there really more strange craft in our skies now ?
Or are people just paying more attention ?

In the more than two years since the New York Times broke their bombshell story about a secret Pentagon program investigating UFOs (or UAPs, if you insist), many questions have been raised by those investigating the topic. Unfortunately, the Pentagon has had very little to say, and even when they do offer to answer some questions, those answers frequently have a rather short shelf life. In the past, we’ve explored why there is still so much secrecy surrounding the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and how the Pentagon can’t seem to keep their stories straight. This is particularly true when it comes to their statements about Luis Elizondo, executive of To The Stars Academy and the former Defense Department official who ran AATIP for several years. (The Pentagon keeps insisting he never did, though Elizondo has his own theories as to why they’re doing this.)
Now, at long last, at least some of those mysteries have been solved. Yesterday another bombshell in this saga dropped at Popular Mechanics. Investigative journalist Lt. Tim McMillan (ret) has been digging into the truth behind the conflicting information we’ve been getting for months and now he’s published a lengthy and incredibly well researched and documented article that peeks behind the curtains and shines some light on the subject. (If you’ve never watched my interview with McMillan, you might want to. He’s a fascinating person in his own right and well versed in the lore of ufology.)
This article provides most of the history of AATIP, some of which we already knew, but with some shocking new information that Tim uncovered through scores of interviews and by obtaining many documents from both the government and the now-defunct Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS). BAASS, as you may recall, received the lion’s share of the government funding when the AATIP program was created at the request of former Senator Harry Reid. The first thing McMillan clears up beyond a shadow of a doubt is that not only was AATIP real, but it was also absolutely a program focused on UFOs. (You may recall that after initially admitting it was a UAP program, the Pentagon turned around and said it wasn’t.)
So how is the Pentagon keeping everything secret and thwarting efforts by journalists using FOIA requests to get more information on AATIP? McMillan quotes sources who actually worked on the project, describing the situation as “a dizzying shell game that’s entirely consistent with how black budget intelligence programs are run.” The trick being used involves the fact that the documents many of us have been seeking were all shopped out to BAASS and other private operations, so they aren’t technically “government documents” and not subject to FOIA requests. (Emphasis added)
According to several former AATIP contractors, the “product” being produced for the DIA was technical reports on exotic and potential “game-changing” aerospace technologies, and the manner of determining what areas these radical airborne breakthroughs might emerge was through the research of UFOs. In exchange, not only would the DIA get the agreed-upon technical reports, but it would also gain access to the extensive research BAASS was gathering on UFOs. While the DIA had access to the volumes of UFO data, the materials were actually commercial property of BAASS, as a subsidiary of Bigelow Aerospace… The DIA may have had extensive access to the UFO materials, but because all of the data technically belonged to BAASS, under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996, disclosing or releasing proprietary materials provided to the government in confidence is a federal crime. Essentially, the DIA’s UFO program was set up to circumvent FOIA requests and avoid having to discuss UFOs publicly.
Let that sink in for a moment. This was a massive program that almost no one knew anything about and it was explicitly crafted in a way that would allow them to keep all of the information from the public. And it worked.
McMillan then goes on to confirm another key part of the story. The Pentagon has claimed from the beginning that the AATIP program ended in 2012. But that’s not true at all and he’s got the documents to prove it. AATIP was still in operation (though restructured) when Elizondo left the government in 2017 and it’s nearly a 100% certainty that it’s still in operation today
One other item I wanted to cover is a revelation that might at least give us a hint as to what all of those strange craft silently zooming around our skies actually are. People who aren’t big on the idea of extraterrestrial life have repeatedly speculated that they might be some deep, secret project of our own. But during a closed session with the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of our generals reportedly said that wasn’t the case.
Popular Mechanics has since learned in October 2019, staffers with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Service Committee were briefed on current UAP issues. According to people with knowledge of these briefings, some former BAASS contractors and current AATIP leadership were in attendance. Insiders also say this past year, during a closed-door meeting with the Senate Intelligence Committee, Brigadier General Richard Stapp, Director of the DoD Special Access Program Central Office, testified the mysterious objects being encountered by the military were not related to secret U.S. technology. The Pentagon did not respond to requests by Popular Mechanics to confirm Stapp’s testimony before the Intelligence Committee.
So if we didn’t build those things, who did? The Russians? The Chinese? It seems implausible that either of them has zoomed that far past us in the limits of theoretical physics. It’s left up to the reader to interpret what that means.
So now, with all that we’ve learned from McMillan’s research, we’re really no closer to knowing what additional information the government has about UFOs nor getting them to spill the beans. But at least we know how they’ve managed to keep their secrets get away with lying to us so often. Plausible deniability, folks. I’ve only touched on a few of the biggest highlights in the Popular Mechanics article, so I’d strongly advise you to follow the traditional blogging maxim and read the whole thing.
In closing, I’ll just toss in one more recent story for your consideration and debate. It was recently announced that the number of UFO sighting reported in New York City in 2019 was three times higher than the previous year. Are there really more strange craft in our skies now? Or are people just paying more attention?


hotair--2020-02-15--UT/Texas Tribune Poll: Bernie Sanders leads in Texas

Bernie Sanders is in the top spot now in Texas according to the latest poll released by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune .
Bernie ’ s having a moment and it ’ s even showing up in Texas polling .
Since the beginning of the Democrat primary season , Joe Biden has consistently led in Texas polls .
His lead has been strong enough that I doubt his campaign thought he would need to put too much effort into campaigning in the state .
This is the first poll that shows Biden ’ s vulnerability in the Lone Star State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – 24 % to 22 % .
Granted , that ’ s not a big lead but it is certainly enough to cause heartburn within Biden ’ s flailing campaign .
If Bernie is ahead in a state that normally favors moderates and conservatives , his current momentum is real .
The last UT/Texas Tribune released was last October .
Bernie has doubled his support since then .
In that poll , Biden and Elizabeth Warren were at the top .
Back then , Robert Francis O ’ Rourke was still in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that poll .
Michael Bloomberg hadn ’ t entered the race and he is now in fourth place .
Bloomberg is ahead of both Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar – all three considered the moderates in the race .
Andrew Yang , who dropped out after the New Hampshire primary this week , was behind Buttigieg and ahead of Klobuchar .
All of this points to some real trouble for Biden .
Sanders and Bloomberg are on the rise while Biden is unable to expand his support and is falling .
The poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a favorable opinion of all the candidates but Sanders , Biden , and Warren remain the preference .
Buttigieg , Klobuchar , and Bloomberg are seen as favorable candidates but are not as well-known to Texas voters .
Trust me when I say that soon every voter will be able to identify Michael Bloomberg , thanks to his advertising blitz in the state .
In a state as big as Texas , it is impossible for a candidate to depend on traditional retail politics – the battle for the airwaves is critical .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been running television ads in Texas 24/7 for weeks now .
In the last couple of days , Bernie Sanders has entered the battle for the airwaves in Texas .
I saw several ads for Bernie both Thursday and Friday .
When Texans register to vote , political party affiliation is not declared .
Primaries are open to voters of any party affiliation – the voter is asked which ballot they want , Republican or Democrat at the time of voting .
This is appealing to the candidates hoping to capture the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For example , both the Bloomberg and Sanders campaigns have texted me on my cell phone in recent days though I have only ever voted as a Republican in primaries .
In other words , the Bloomberg and Sanders campaigns are actively reaching out to all voters , not just concentrating on traditional Democrats .
This is the same that Donald Trump did in 2016 and his work to appeal to everyone was a winning formula .
Both Bernie and Trump supporters are loyal and energized .
Biden ’ s campaign is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His whole campaign is centered around the premise that he ’ s the safe choice , the electable one .
That strategy has now flamed out with his dismal performances in both Iowa and New Hampshire .
It looks like he will do poorly in Nevada next so he is counting on South Carolina to save his campaign .
Real Clear Politics has Biden up by 5.3 % overall in Texas now , with Bernie in second place at 22.7 % and Elizabeth Warren at 15 % .
Bloomberg comes in at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is listed as a second choice candidate for almost half of the Sanders voters .
There is good news for President Trump in the UT/Texas Tribune poll .
Though 52 % of those polled said they would not vote to re-elect President Trump , Republican support is at a solid 90 % and the responses show he will beat any of the Democrat candidates .
Independent voters were against reelection , but less so than Democrat voters – 38 % said they would vote to reelect Trump , while 62 % said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicates Trump is underperforming in Texas but would still win the state in November .
This poll is usually pretty reliable , as polls go .
You ’ ll note that registered voters , not likely voters were polled .
Likely voters produce a more reliable picture , as a general rule .
Here ’ s the standard disclosure of how the poll was conducted :

Bernie Sanders is in the top spot now in Texas according to the latest poll released by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune. Bernie’s having a moment and it’s even showing up in Texas polling.
Since the beginning of the Democrat primary season, Joe Biden has consistently led in Texas polls. His lead has been strong enough that I doubt his campaign thought he would need to put too much effort into campaigning in the state. This is the first poll that shows Biden’s vulnerability in the Lone Star State. Bernie leads Biden by 2 points – 24% to 22%. Granted, that’s not a big lead but it is certainly enough to cause heartburn within Biden’s flailing campaign. If Bernie is ahead in a state that normally favors moderates and conservatives, his current momentum is real.
The last UT/Texas Tribune released was last October. Bernie has doubled his support since then. In that poll, Biden and Elizabeth Warren were at the top. Back then, Robert Francis O’Rourke was still in the primary race and he ranked third in that poll. Michael Bloomberg hadn’t entered the race and he is now in fourth place. Bloomberg is ahead of both Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar – all three considered the moderates in the race. Andrew Yang, who dropped out after the New Hampshire primary this week, was behind Buttigieg and ahead of Klobuchar.
All of this points to some real trouble for Biden. Sanders and Bloomberg are on the rise while Biden is unable to expand his support and is falling.
UT/TT POLL Who would get your vote in a Democratic primary today?
Bernie Sanders 24%
Joseph R. Biden 22%
Elizabeth Warren 15%
Michael R. Bloomberg 10%
Pete Buttigieg 7%
Andrew Yang* 6%
Amy Klobuchar 3%
Tom Steyer 3%
Tulsi Gabbard 2%
Others 8% *Dropped out; name remains on Texas ballot.
Numbers may not add up to 100 due to rounding. Margin of error = ± 4.09 percentage points.
Source: University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, February 2020
Credit: Anna Novak
The poll shows that overall, Democrat voters have a favorable opinion of all the candidates but Sanders, Biden, and Warren remain the preference. Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg are seen as favorable candidates but are not as well-known to Texas voters. Trust me when I say that soon every voter will be able to identify Michael Bloomberg, thanks to his advertising blitz in the state. In a state as big as Texas, it is impossible for a candidate to depend on traditional retail politics – the battle for the airwaves is critical. Bloomberg jumped into that contest early and has been running television ads in Texas 24/7 for weeks now. In the last couple of days, Bernie Sanders has entered the battle for the airwaves in Texas. I saw several ads for Bernie both Thursday and Friday.
When Texans register to vote, political party affiliation is not declared. Primaries are open to voters of any party affiliation – the voter is asked which ballot they want, Republican or Democrat at the time of voting. This is appealing to the candidates hoping to capture the imagination of Republican voters and Independents. For example, both the Bloomberg and Sanders campaigns have texted me on my cell phone in recent days though I have only ever voted as a Republican in primaries. In other words, the Bloomberg and Sanders campaigns are actively reaching out to all voters, not just concentrating on traditional Democrats. This is the same that Donald Trump did in 2016 and his work to appeal to everyone was a winning formula.
Both Bernie and Trump supporters are loyal and energized. Biden’s campaign is not inspiring by any stretch of the imagination. His whole campaign is centered around the premise that he’s the safe choice, the electable one. That strategy has now flamed out with his dismal performances in both Iowa and New Hampshire. It looks like he will do poorly in Nevada next so he is counting on South Carolina to save his campaign. Real Clear Politics has Biden up by 5.3% overall in Texas now, with Bernie in second place at 22.7% and Elizabeth Warren at 15%. Bloomberg comes in at fourth place with 11.7%. Warren is listed as a second choice candidate for almost half of the Sanders voters.
Asked about their second choices for the presidential nomination, 48% of Democratic voters who support Sanders listed Warren. Biden’s voters listed Warren (25%) and Bloomberg (24%). Warren supporters’ second choices were Sanders (43%), Biden (15%) and Klobuchar (14%). Biden was the second choice for 28% of Bloomberg’s supporters in the survey, followed by Warren (20%).
There is good news for President Trump in the UT/Texas Tribune poll. Though 52% of those polled said they would not vote to re-elect President Trump, Republican support is at a solid 90% and the responses show he will beat any of the Democrat candidates. Independent voters were against reelection, but less so than Democrat voters – 38% said they would vote to reelect Trump, while 62% said they would vote against him. The poll indicates Trump is underperforming in Texas but would still win the state in November.
This poll is usually pretty reliable, as polls go. You’ll note that registered voters, not likely voters were polled. Likely voters produce a more reliable picture, as a general rule. Here’s the standard disclosure of how the poll was conducted:


hotair--2020-02-15--Too good to check: Bloomberg eyeing Hillary for VP, says Drudge

I ’ m as skeptical as you are .
But .
It ’ s fabulous political gossip , fully worthy of the siren treatment Drudge is giving it .
We ’ re at the stage of the Bloomberg boomlet right now where the sheer improbability of his rise to national contender leaves one reluctant to second-guess him , even on something as outlandish as this .
Trump has long enjoyed the same benefit of the doubt .
He could rip a fart at a meeting with the Pope and some share of the commentariat would grasp for ways to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight-dimensional chess .
He broke all the rules in 2016 and won the presidency , didn ’ t he ?
He knows something about politics that the rest of us don ’ t .
Don ’ t question his instincts .
Bloomberg ’ s going to experience some of that same generosity until his surge in the polls reverses .
Sources close to Bloomberg campaign tell DRUDGE REPORT that candidate is considering Hillary Clinton as running mate , after their polling found the Bloomberg-Clinton combination would be formidable force… MORE DRUDGE has learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to change his official residence from New York to homes he owns in Colorado or Florida , since the electoral college makes it hard for a POTUS and VPOTUS from the same state… Developing..
The political junkies at FiveThirtyEight seem to agree that this would be , well , nuts — but even in that context , the “ Bloomberg ’ s being smart ” benefit of the doubt shines through : Here , watch as I try to talk myself into believing that a Bloomberg/Hillary ticket would be a master stroke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let ’ s grant up front that since her loss in 2016 Hillary has been roughly as popular nationally as coronavirus .
That being said : 1 .
She has fans in the Democratic Party .
And for all her unpopularity , she got more votes than Trump did in 2016 and came within a hair ’ s breadth in several swing states of winning the presidency .
2 .
Bloomberg ’ s mammoth spending binge on ads can introduce him to voters but it won ’ t necessarily make him their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefer this guy to Joe Biden or Mayor Pete or even Bernie for that matter ?
Who the hell is he ?
What are his policies ?
” Hillary , however , is a name brand .
Having her as VP-in-waiting would serve as a form of quickie vetting for some voters : “ If she ’ s comfortable with him as president , I ’ d probably be comfortable with him too.
” Is there anyone else in America at this point besides Obama whose support would more quickly identify someone as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average primary voter ?
3 .
Bloomberg ’ s campaign thus far has been all about Trump and the urgent need for Democrats to unseat him .
That ’ s a shrewd pitch , not just because so many Dems agree but because it encourages them to overlook Bloomberg ’ s many faults in the name of anti-Trump unity .
No one better personifies the “ Trump must go ” message than Hillary Clinton , who ’ s been relitigating the last election in various ways since the moment she conceded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s message of “ let ’ s undo the mistake we made in 2016 and worry about the rest later.
” 4 .
He turned 78 years old yesterday .
He seems spry , but voters will obviously notice his age at some point .
He needs a VP who — deep breath here for the cliche — will be “ ready to govern on day one.
” Et voila .
5 .
Our friend Mike may have himself a # MeToo problem .
WaPo is rocking this banner headline for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most high-profile example , a top saleswoman , Sekiko Sakai Garrison , alleged that Bloomberg told female salespeople about a male colleague getting married : “ All of you girls line up to give him [ oral sex ] as a wedding present.
” And , the lawsuit said , when Bloomberg saw certain women , he said , “ I ’ d f— that in a second.
” … Garrison alleged that Bloomberg berated female employees who got pregnant .
“ What the hell did you do a thing like that for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee .
On another occasion , the lawsuit said , Bloomberg berated a female employee who had trouble finding a nanny .
“ It ’ s a f—— baby !
.
.
.
All you need is some black who doesn ’ t have to speak English to rescue it from a burning building.
” … When Bloomberg learned on April 11 , 1995 , that Garrison was pregnant , according to her suit , he allegedly said to her , “ Kill it !
” Garrison asked Bloomberg to repeat what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Kill it !
Great !
Number 16 !
, ” which she took as a reference to the number of pregnant women and new mothers at the company .
He can bribe his way out of most problems .
But not quite every problem .
Which , one would assume , explains today ’ s conveniently timed leak to Drudge .
He knows he ’ s going to be hammered for sexism by his opponents , including and especially at the next debate , and he needs a way to change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most influential reporter on the Internet that none other than Hillary Clinton — a Drudge obsession for decades — is in the mix for VP .
How sexist can Bloomy be if he ’ s ready to join forces with the almost First Woman President , right ?
And if nothing else , a juicy “ Bloomberg/Clinton ?
!
” scoop at the top of Drudge ensures that the WaPo story isn ’ t at the top of Drudge instead .
Judging from Bloomberg ’ s Twitter feed over the past 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bracing for a story questioning his relationships with women to break .
Presumably WaPo tipped him off that it was coming by asking his campaign for comment before it ran , leaving Team Mike scrambling for ways to counterprogram it .
For instance : And now he , or someone on the campaign , has topped it off by assuring Drudge that the most famous woman in America might be on his ticket .
Go figure .
Imagine it , bro .
A mega-billionaire plutocrat who bought off the Democratic elite en route @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history choosing as his running mate the candidate who dismissed half of Trump ’ s voters as “ deplorables.
” Populist magic .
Not a single voter to the left of , say , Elizabeth Warren would turn out to vote this fall .
He ’ s going to have to choose someone if he wins , though .
Who ?
Logically he should choose a populist to “ balance ” the ticket but Bloomberg doesn ’ t seem like the kind of guy who ’ d listen to populists even if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
I can picture him choosing , say , Lloyd Blankfein and saying at his convention speech , “ Suck it , socialists .
You want to stay home and reelect Trump ?
Be my guest .
It ’ s your funeral.
” Exit question : Who ’ s going to be Bernie ’ s VP ?
Logically he should want to balance his ticket too by choosing someone more mainstream but he ’ s also the kind of guy who appears unlikely to compromise .
What kind of socialist revolution would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a poseur like Kamala Harris as number two ?
TNR reports today that Sanders fans like two candidates : Nina Turner , a former state legislator who ’ s now co-chair of the campaign , and , er … Tulsi Gabbard .
Given Gabbard ’ s chumminess with Fox News , her wimpy “ present ” vote on Trump ’ s impeachment , and her age ( we ’ re going to put a 38-year-old second in line behind a 79-year-old president with heart trouble ? )
, I ’ m guessing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tulsi ’ s eventual tripartite pact with Assad and Khamenei would no doubt be , uh , bold .

I’m as skeptical as you are. But.
It’s fabulous political gossip, fully worthy of the siren treatment Drudge is giving it.
And.
We’re at the stage of the Bloomberg boomlet right now where the sheer improbability of his rise to national contender leaves one reluctant to second-guess him, even on something as outlandish as this. Trump has long enjoyed the same benefit of the doubt. He could rip a fart at a meeting with the Pope and some share of the commentariat would grasp for ways to explain it as a case of him playing eight-dimensional chess. He broke all the rules in 2016 and won the presidency, didn’t he? He knows something about politics that the rest of us don’t. Don’t question his instincts. Bloomberg’s going to experience some of that same generosity until his surge in the polls reverses.
Drudge reports:
Sources close to Bloomberg campaign tell DRUDGE REPORT that candidate is considering Hillary Clinton as running mate, after their polling found the Bloomberg-Clinton combination would be formidable force… MORE DRUDGE has learned that Bloomberg himself would go as far as to change his official residence from New York to homes he owns in Colorado or Florida, since the electoral college makes it hard for a POTUS and VPOTUS from the same state… Developing..
The political junkies at FiveThirtyEight seem to agree that this would be, well, nuts — but even in that context, the “Bloomberg’s being smart” benefit of the doubt shines through:
Well, but any day that the media spends talking about Bloomberg instead of Buttigieg or Klobuchar, or even Biden's somewhat resilient polling in Southern states, is probably good news for Bloomberg. He doesn't want any of the other moderates to emerge with momentum… https://t.co/fhNvLAqfkz — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 15, 2020
Here, watch as I try to talk myself into believing that a Bloomberg/Hillary ticket would be a master stroke of political genius. Yes, fine, let’s grant up front that since her loss in 2016 Hillary has been roughly as popular nationally as coronavirus. That being said:
1. She has fans in the Democratic Party. And for all her unpopularity, she got more votes than Trump did in 2016 and came within a hair’s breadth in several swing states of winning the presidency.
2. Bloomberg’s mammoth spending binge on ads can introduce him to voters but it won’t necessarily make him their preferred choice. “Why should I prefer this guy to Joe Biden or Mayor Pete or even Bernie for that matter? Who the hell is he? What are his policies?” Hillary, however, is a name brand. Having her as VP-in-waiting would serve as a form of quickie vetting for some voters: “If she’s comfortable with him as president, I’d probably be comfortable with him too.” Is there anyone else in America at this point besides Obama whose support would more quickly identify someone as a mainstream Democrat worth taking seriously to the average primary voter?
3. Bloomberg’s campaign thus far has been all about Trump and the urgent need for Democrats to unseat him. That’s a shrewd pitch, not just because so many Dems agree but because it encourages them to overlook Bloomberg’s many faults in the name of anti-Trump unity. No one better personifies the “Trump must go” message than Hillary Clinton, who’s been relitigating the last election in various ways since the moment she conceded. Choosing her as VP would crystallize Bloomberg’s message of “let’s undo the mistake we made in 2016 and worry about the rest later.”
4. He turned 78 years old yesterday. He seems spry, but voters will obviously notice his age at some point. He needs a VP who — deep breath here for the cliche — will be “ready to govern on day one.” Et voila.
5. Our friend Mike may have himself a #MeToo problem. WaPo is rocking this banner headline for a new story out today:
A small taste:
In the most high-profile example, a top saleswoman, Sekiko Sakai Garrison, alleged that Bloomberg told female salespeople about a male colleague getting married: “All of you girls line up to give him [oral sex] as a wedding present.” And, the lawsuit said, when Bloomberg saw certain women, he said, “I’d f— that in a second.”… Garrison alleged that Bloomberg berated female employees who got pregnant. “What the hell did you do a thing like that for?” Bloomberg allegedly told one pregnant employee. On another occasion, the lawsuit said, Bloomberg berated a female employee who had trouble finding a nanny. “It’s a f—— baby! . . . All you need is some black who doesn’t have to speak English to rescue it from a burning building.”… When Bloomberg learned on April 11, 1995, that Garrison was pregnant, according to her suit, he allegedly said to her, “Kill it!” Garrison asked Bloomberg to repeat what he said, and she said he responded, “Kill it! Great! Number 16!,” which she took as a reference to the number of pregnant women and new mothers at the company.
He can bribe his way out of most problems. But not quite every problem.
Which, one would assume, explains today’s conveniently timed leak to Drudge. He knows he’s going to be hammered for sexism by his opponents, including and especially at the next debate, and he needs a way to change the subject. Solution: Whisper to the most influential reporter on the Internet that none other than Hillary Clinton — a Drudge obsession for decades — is in the mix for VP. How sexist can Bloomy be if he’s ready to join forces with the almost First Woman President, right? And if nothing else, a juicy “Bloomberg/Clinton?!” scoop at the top of Drudge ensures that the WaPo story isn’t at the top of Drudge instead.
Judging from Bloomberg’s Twitter feed over the past 24 hours, it looks like he was bracing for a story questioning his relationships with women to break. Presumably WaPo tipped him off that it was coming by asking his campaign for comment before it ran, leaving Team Mike scrambling for ways to counterprogram it. For instance:
Mike has always hired women to lead, promoted women to lead, and supported women in balancing work with family. He has zero tolerance for an environment where women aren't respected or don't have a seat at the table and a voice. pic.twitter.com/R10ugOAiPT — Team Bloomberg (@Mike2020) February 15, 2020
All of my success in life — everything I've done — is thanks to the strong women around me. But more than ever, women’s rights are under attack. As president, I will defend Roe v. Wade and protect the right to choose. pic.twitter.com/ONcsFIHvLu — Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) February 15, 2020
I would not be where I am today without the talented women around me. I've depended on their leadership, their advice and their contributions. As I've demonstrated throughout my career, I will always be a champion for women in the workplace. https://t.co/WU2FqULgdU — Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) February 15, 2020
And now he, or someone on the campaign, has topped it off by assuring Drudge that the most famous woman in America might be on his ticket. Go figure.
Imagine it, bro. A mega-billionaire plutocrat who bought off the Democratic elite en route to the second-most unlikely presidential nomination in history choosing as his running mate the candidate who dismissed half of Trump’s voters as “deplorables.” Populist magic. Not a single voter to the left of, say, Elizabeth Warren would turn out to vote this fall.
He’s going to have to choose someone if he wins, though. Who? Logically he should choose a populist to “balance” the ticket but Bloomberg doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d listen to populists even if it were to his benefit somehow to do so. I can picture him choosing, say, Lloyd Blankfein and saying at his convention speech, “Suck it, socialists. You want to stay home and reelect Trump? Be my guest. It’s your funeral.”
Exit question: Who’s going to be Bernie’s VP? Logically he should want to balance his ticket too by choosing someone more mainstream but he’s also the kind of guy who appears unlikely to compromise. What kind of socialist revolution would it be, after all, with a poseur like Kamala Harris as number two? TNR reports today that Sanders fans like two candidates: Nina Turner, a former state legislator who’s now co-chair of the campaign, and, er … Tulsi Gabbard. Given Gabbard’s chumminess with Fox News, her wimpy “present” vote on Trump’s impeachment, and her age (we’re going to put a 38-year-old second in line behind a 79-year-old president with heart trouble?), I’m guessing that’s a nonstarter. Although President Tulsi’s eventual tripartite pact with Assad and Khamenei would no doubt be, uh, bold.


hotair--2020-02-15--5 year sentence recommended for former Baltimore Mayor

Back in November , we learned that disgraced former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh had avoided a messy trial by pleading guilty to multiple counts of corruption and tax evasion .
This all stemmed from her self-dealing scheme to “ sell ” hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of her self-published “ Healthy Holly ” children ’ s books to people and businesses who had dealings with the University of Maryland Medical System , where Pugh sat as a board member .
At the time , I wondered what sort of deal she had cut with the prosecutors in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she provided to the state might not have turned out to be all that valuable because prosecutors aren ’ t letting her off with a slap on the wrist .
They ’ re looking for nearly five years behind bars in addition to some hefty fines .
( CBS Baltimore ) U.S. Attorney Robert Hur is recommending a nearly five-year prison sentence for former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh in the “ Healthy Holly ” scandal .
In documents filed with the court , Hur called Pugh ’ s actions in the scheme “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built on each other , becoming more audacious and complex leading up to the mayoral election.
” The former mayor pleaded guilty in November to four charges , including conspiracy to commit wire fraud , conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and two counts of tax evasion .
The U.S. Attorney didn ’ t pull any punches in his sentencing request .
He described a “ rampant criminal deception to fulfill her ambitions ” spanning much of Pugh ’ s political career , as well as a lack of remorse over the missed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethical compass.
” Given how these things usually play out , it will be surprising if the judge gives Pugh the full 57 months that ’ s being requested .
The prosecutors will typically ask for the maximum sentence they believe the judge might be reasonably willing to consider .
Pugh ’ s attorneys have already requested a sentence of one year and one day , meaning she likely wouldn ’ t spend more than a couple of months behind bars .
( Pugh has been free on her own recognizance through this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get any credit for time served . )
If I had to guess , I ’ d say she ’ ll likely get something in between , perhaps in the range of two years .
Whatever the sentence turns out to be , it spells the end of yet another sad , corrupt chapter in the political history of Charm City .
As we ’ ve discussed here in the past , Every mayor since Martin O ’ Malley left office has wound up in some form of trouble or another .
Sheila @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested on charges of embezzlement .
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opted to not even run for a second term after the city descended into chaos on her watch following the Freddie Gray riots .
And then Baltimore was saddled with Catherine Pugh .
To his credit , interim Mayor Jack Young has thus far seemed to be performing competently without any suggestions of corruption , but he said from the beginning that he would only serve out Pugh ’ s term and not run again .
Baltimore ’ s residents had better look over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time around .
The city currently looks more like a war zone than anything else and a strong , principled leader will be required to lead them out of the quagmire they ’ ve created .

Back in November, we learned that disgraced former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh had avoided a messy trial by pleading guilty to multiple counts of corruption and tax evasion. This all stemmed from her self-dealing scheme to “sell” hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of her self-published “Healthy Holly” children’s books to people and businesses who had dealings with the University of Maryland Medical System, where Pugh sat as a board member.
At the time, I wondered what sort of deal she had cut with the prosecutors in exchange for the guilty plea. Whatever other information she provided to the state might not have turned out to be all that valuable because prosecutors aren’t letting her off with a slap on the wrist. They’re looking for nearly five years behind bars in addition to some hefty fines. (CBS Baltimore)
U.S. Attorney Robert Hur is recommending a nearly five-year prison sentence for former Baltimore mayor Catherine Pugh in the “Healthy Holly” scandal. In documents filed with the court, Hur called Pugh’s actions in the scheme “a recurring pattern of well-executed steps that built on each other, becoming more audacious and complex leading up to the mayoral election.” The former mayor pleaded guilty in November to four charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and two counts of tax evasion.
The U.S. Attorney didn’t pull any punches in his sentencing request. He described a “rampant criminal deception to fulfill her ambitions” spanning much of Pugh’s political career, as well as a lack of remorse over the missed opportunities to “check her moral and ethical compass.”
Given how these things usually play out, it will be surprising if the judge gives Pugh the full 57 months that’s being requested. The prosecutors will typically ask for the maximum sentence they believe the judge might be reasonably willing to consider. Pugh’s attorneys have already requested a sentence of one year and one day, meaning she likely wouldn’t spend more than a couple of months behind bars. (Pugh has been free on her own recognizance through this process, so she won’t get any credit for time served.) If I had to guess, I’d say she’ll likely get something in between, perhaps in the range of two years.
Whatever the sentence turns out to be, it spells the end of yet another sad, corrupt chapter in the political history of Charm City. As we’ve discussed here in the past, Every mayor since Martin O’Malley left office has wound up in some form of trouble or another. Sheila Dixon was forced to resign after being arrested on charges of embezzlement. Stephanie Rawlings-Blake opted to not even run for a second term after the city descended into chaos on her watch following the Freddie Gray riots. And then Baltimore was saddled with Catherine Pugh.
To his credit, interim Mayor Jack Young has thus far seemed to be performing competently without any suggestions of corruption, but he said from the beginning that he would only serve out Pugh’s term and not run again. Baltimore’s residents had better look over the field carefully and pick someone with integrity this time around. The city currently looks more like a war zone than anything else and a strong, principled leader will be required to lead them out of the quagmire they’ve created.