hotair--2020-11-22--Chris Christie: The conduct of Trump's legal team is a "national embarrassment"

Chris , buddy , where ’ s this coming from ?
Casually accusing a Republican governor and secretary of state of taking bribes in an unproved vote-rigging conspiracy against the president sounds like smart , sober lawyering to me .
Does Christie mean to suggest that framing one ’ s case as a battle against “ the Devil ” *isn ’ t* a hallmark of professional litigation in New Jersey ?
I didn ’ t see the full interview with Powell last night but evidently she also implied that Hillary Clinton used Dominion software to defeat Bernie Sanders in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out but “ sold out ” by refusing to reveal it .
It ’ s weird that Hillary , after having rigged the vote against Sanders , didn ’ t then also rig the vote against Trump in the general election , no ?
Especially given how close the race was in the midwest , where a few thousand votes here and there could have flipped the presidency .
None of this is supposed to make sense or even be believed by Trump ’ s adherents .
At this point it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insanity oath ” as Michael Brendan Dougherty described it .
You either stand with Trump and “ fight ” by swallowing anything Powell , Wood , and Rudy Giuliani crap into your open mouth or you stand with “ the enemy.
” Speaking of Rudy , he ’ s running on a parallel track to Powell in advancing Trump ’ s conspiracy theories .
Powell is on a witch hunt , tossing around fantastically broad accusations with promises that she ’ ll prove her case eventually .
Giuliani is focused on more specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trying to undermine confidence in the results to create a vacuum of trust in the outcome for Powell to fill : Because he ’ s become a pitiful addled clown , though , he can ’ t even make a semi-plausible case for suspicion .
His questions about Wayne County were answered days ago : That ’ s what Christie means he complains about a “ national embarrassment.
” Either Giuliani is so much of a crank that he can ’ t tell reality from fiction anymore or he ’ s engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminiscent of third-tier banana republics .
“ If they are lying about basic stuff like this , ” said AG Hamilton of his tweet , “ why would you trust anything they say ?
” If we ’ re going to push conspiracy theories based on zero evidence , here ’ s one for you : Are Giuliani , Powell , and Wood actually secret Democratic operatives working behind the scenes to tilt the Georgia runoffs to Democrats ?
The irony of Team Trump ’ s “ strategy , ” focused as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is that it ’ ll end up setting Republicans at each other ’ s throats .
As more clear-eyed figures like Christie and Pat Toomey admit that Trump ’ s legal effort is a sham , the true believers will dismiss their skepticism as evidence of either treacherous disloyalty or involvement in the conspiracy , as Powell is suggesting of Brian Kemp .
Primary challenges to skeptical Republicans will be mounted .
If they fail , the party will be divided in the general election , giving Democrats an advantage .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominee in the general will be a kook , giving Democrats an advantage .
The Never Trump cohort on the right was always tiny but the Never Crank cohort will be somewhat bigger .
We ’ re getting an early taste thanks to the Georgia runoffs of how self-sabotaging Trump ’ s “ strategy ” might prove to be : I wouldn ’ t guess that the left is “ happy , ” exactly , to watch a third of the country descend into collective psychosis because they can ’ t cope with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to win some elections they might have otherwise lost if this mass hysteria persists .
Possibly starting on January 5 .
The only near-term suspense about Trump ’ s legal effort has to do with which excuse Powell and Giuliani will ultimately make for failing to prove their case .
It ’ s a given that it ’ ll involve chicanery by some nefarious actor ; the question is which actor and what sort of alleged chicanery they ’ ll assert .
While we wait for them to decide , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department was placed on alert for evidence of voter fraud shortly after Election Day , with Barr going so far as to lift the restriction that prevented U.S .
Attorneys from investigating fraud allegations until after state elections were certified .
Barr gave them the green light to intervene in this process immediately if they saw evidence of anything amiss — and needless to say , the DOJ ’ s resources in detecting and exposing a criminal conspiracy are vastly greater than Sidney Powell ’ s .
With Georgia having already certified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so tomorrow , there ’ s been not a peep from Barr or his department about shenanigans .
I ’ d bet every dollar I have that Barr himself completely agrees with Christie ’ s assessment here .
Even though he ’ ll never admit it .

Chris, buddy, where’s this coming from? Casually accusing a Republican governor and secretary of state of taking bribes in an unproved vote-rigging conspiracy against the president sounds like smart, sober lawyering to me.
Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell: “Georgia is probably going to be the first state I’m going to blow up … [the filing in the state] will be Biblical”.pic.twitter.com/pU8PVOobzr — Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) November 22, 2020
Does Christie mean to suggest that framing one’s case as a battle against “the Devil” *isn’t* a hallmark of professional litigation in New Jersey?
https://twitter.com/LLinWood/status/1330553627770040327
I didn’t see the full interview with Powell last night but evidently she also implied that Hillary Clinton used Dominion software to defeat Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary — and that Bernie found out but “sold out” by refusing to reveal it. It’s weird that Hillary, after having rigged the vote against Sanders, didn’t then also rig the vote against Trump in the general election, no? Especially given how close the race was in the midwest, where a few thousand votes here and there could have flipped the presidency.
None of this is supposed to make sense or even be believed by Trump’s adherents. At this point it’s a pure loyalty test, or “insanity oath” as Michael Brendan Dougherty described it. You either stand with Trump and “fight” by swallowing anything Powell, Wood, and Rudy Giuliani crap into your open mouth or you stand with “the enemy.”
Speaking of Rudy, he’s running on a parallel track to Powell in advancing Trump’s conspiracy theories. Powell is on a witch hunt, tossing around fantastically broad accusations with promises that she’ll prove her case eventually. Giuliani is focused on more specific “anomalies” in the election data, trying to undermine confidence in the results to create a vacuum of trust in the outcome for Powell to fill:
Want evidence of fraud. In 70% of Wayne County, Detroit, there were PHANTOM VOTERS. There were more votes than registered voters. 120%, 150%, 200%, even 300%. — Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) November 22, 2020
Because he’s become a pitiful addled clown, though, he can’t even make a semi-plausible case for suspicion. His questions about Wayne County were answered days ago:
The second claim comes from an affidavit regarding purported overvotes in Michigan, but the cities listed are in Minnesota. This has been widely debunked for a couple of days, but the campaign still puts it forward as "proof" of widespread fraud. (2/2)https://t.co/srGY0ISc5g — Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) November 22, 2020
That’s what Christie means he complains about a “national embarrassment.” Either Giuliani is so much of a crank that he can’t tell reality from fiction anymore or he’s engaged in a willful but error-ridden disinformation campaign reminiscent of third-tier banana republics. “If they are lying about basic stuff like this,” said AG Hamilton of his tweet, “why would you trust anything they say?”
If we’re going to push conspiracy theories based on zero evidence, here’s one for you: Are Giuliani, Powell, and Wood actually secret Democratic operatives working behind the scenes to tilt the Georgia runoffs to Democrats?
https://twitter.com/LLinWood/status/1330218328225353735
The irony of Team Trump’s “strategy,” focused as it is on an alleged great Democratic plot, is that it’ll end up setting Republicans at each other’s throats. As more clear-eyed figures like Christie and Pat Toomey admit that Trump’s legal effort is a sham, the true believers will dismiss their skepticism as evidence of either treacherous disloyalty or involvement in the conspiracy, as Powell is suggesting of Brian Kemp. Primary challenges to skeptical Republicans will be mounted. If they fail, the party will be divided in the general election, giving Democrats an advantage. If they succeed, the party’s nominee in the general will be a kook, giving Democrats an advantage. The Never Trump cohort on the right was always tiny but the Never Crank cohort will be somewhat bigger. We’re getting an early taste thanks to the Georgia runoffs of how self-sabotaging Trump’s “strategy” might prove to be:
More Trump supporters on Parler encouraging folks in Georgia to boycott the runoff… https://t.co/JbLvrqtyRm pic.twitter.com/NeQzBBPBmT — Marcus Baram (@mbaram) November 20, 2020
I wouldn’t guess that the left is “happy,” exactly, to watch a third of the country descend into collective psychosis because they can’t cope with a painful reality, but they’re going to win some elections they might have otherwise lost if this mass hysteria persists. Possibly starting on January 5.
The only near-term suspense about Trump’s legal effort has to do with which excuse Powell and Giuliani will ultimately make for failing to prove their case. It’s a given that it’ll involve chicanery by some nefarious actor; the question is which actor and what sort of alleged chicanery they’ll assert. While we wait for them to decide, though, remember that Bill Barr’s Justice Department was placed on alert for evidence of voter fraud shortly after Election Day, with Barr going so far as to lift the restriction that prevented U.S. Attorneys from investigating fraud allegations until after state elections were certified. Barr gave them the green light to intervene in this process immediately if they saw evidence of anything amiss — and needless to say, the DOJ’s resources in detecting and exposing a criminal conspiracy are vastly greater than Sidney Powell’s. With Georgia having already certified and Michigan and Pennsylvania set to do so tomorrow, there’s been not a peep from Barr or his department about shenanigans. I’d bet every dollar I have that Barr himself completely agrees with Christie’s assessment here. Even though he’ll never admit it.


hotair--2020-11-22--Kelly Loeffler quarantining after mixed results from testing for coronavirus in Georgia

Vice-President Mike Pence campaigned for Senator Kelly Loeffler and Senator David Perdue on Friday .
Both senators are in run-off races that will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate as Joe Biden begins his term in the White House .
Both of the races are crucial for Republican leadership .
If one race is won by the Republican candidate , the Senate will remain in Republican control .
Unfortunately , Loeffler now finds herself in quarantine due to mixed results from coronavirus testing .
According to a spokesperson , Loeffler took two coronavirus tests on Friday morning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ event with Pence came back negative so she was cleared to join him for the day ’ s events .
After Friday ’ s events , though , she learned that the second test came back with a positive result .
Loeffler then took another test on Saturday morning .
Those results came back Saturday night and the finding was “ inconclusive ” .
So , as per CDC guidelines , she began notifying those people with whom she had extended contact Friday .
She is quarantining while she waits on further testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson says she has no symptoms of the virus .
If she is , in fact , infected with the coronavirus , she has exposed the vice-president and Senator Perdue , as well as others from Friday ’ s campaign events .
The senator was on a bus with Pence most of the day on Friday and was standing close to Pence and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue during some events .
She wore a mask some of the day , though it was unclear if she wore one on the bus .
Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor crowds as Republicans and Democrats have staked out very different approaches to campaigning mid-pandemic , with conservatives continuing to hold large gatherings .
Loeffler typically wears a face mask , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , in contrast to many who flock to her events .
Her Democrat opponent is Rev .
Raphael Warnock .
The pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta led Loeffler by nearly 350,000 votes in the Nov. 3 election .
It was a special election race to fill the seat formerly held by Sen. Johnny Isakson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loeffler was appointed by Governor Kemp to serve until the special election .
Far-left activist groups are working for Warnock ’ s election along with Hollywood celebrities and others in the Democrat Party .
Some out-of-state residents are even being encouraged to move to the State of Georgia , register to vote , and vote for the two Democrats before then returning back to their home states .
In the meantime , Trump ’ s re-election campaign filed a petition Saturday to seek a recount of the ballots .
Under Georgia law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate can request a recount if the margin of victory is less than 0.5 % .
Mr. Trump is within that margin .
The Trump campaign again criticized the state ’ s counting process Saturday .
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , a Republican , has defended the procedures as secure and transparent .
Georgia has already completed a hand recount of its about 5 million presidential votes , which the secretary of state had ordered .
The hand review confirmed Mr. Biden ’ s victory .
A recount requested after certification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , it would be a rescanning of ballots through machines , according to state rules .
The Trump campaign said Saturday the recount “ has to include signature matching and other vital safeguards.
” The recount is meant to examine ballots , not signatures .
Signatures have already been verified , the secretary of state ’ s office has said .
The timing of Loeffler ’ s quarantine is unfortunate .
Both she and Perdue need to stay healthy and active on the campaign trail .
Democrats are determined to flip Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allow Chuck Schumer to become the Senate Majority Leader .
The last thing we need is for Democrats to control the White House , the Senate , and the House of Representatives .

Vice-President Mike Pence campaigned for Senator Kelly Loeffler and Senator David Perdue on Friday. Both senators are in run-off races that will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate as Joe Biden begins his term in the White House. Both of the races are crucial for Republican leadership. If one race is won by the Republican candidate, the Senate will remain in Republican control. Unfortunately, Loeffler now finds herself in quarantine due to mixed results from coronavirus testing.
According to a spokesperson, Loeffler took two coronavirus tests on Friday morning. The rapid test used before her first event with Pence came back negative so she was cleared to join him for the day’s events. After Friday’s events, though, she learned that the second test came back with a positive result. Loeffler then took another test on Saturday morning. Those results came back Saturday night and the finding was “inconclusive”. So, as per CDC guidelines, she began notifying those people with whom she had extended contact Friday. She is quarantining while she waits on further testing and those results.
“Senator Loeffler followed CDC guidelines by notifying those with whom she had sustained direct contact while she awaits further test results,” said Mr. Lawson. “She has no symptoms and she will continue to follow CDC guidelines by quarantining until retesting is conclusive and an update will be provided at that time,” he said.
Loeffler’s spokesperson says she has no symptoms of the virus. If she is, in fact, infected with the coronavirus, she has exposed the vice-president and Senator Perdue, as well as others from Friday’s campaign events.
The senator was on a bus with Pence most of the day on Friday and was standing close to Pence and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue during some events. She wore a mask some of the day, though it was unclear if she wore one on the bus. Loeffler’s Friday appearance with Pence drew outdoor crowds as Republicans and Democrats have staked out very different approaches to campaigning mid-pandemic, with conservatives continuing to hold large gatherings. Loeffler typically wears a face mask, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in contrast to many who flock to her events.
Her Democrat opponent is Rev. Raphael Warnock. The pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta led Loeffler by nearly 350,000 votes in the Nov. 3 election. It was a special election race to fill the seat formerly held by Sen. Johnny Isakson, who resigned due to health reasons. Loeffler was appointed by Governor Kemp to serve until the special election. Far-left activist groups are working for Warnock’s election along with Hollywood celebrities and others in the Democrat Party. Some out-of-state residents are even being encouraged to move to the State of Georgia, register to vote, and vote for the two Democrats before then returning back to their home states.
In the meantime, Trump’s re-election campaign filed a petition Saturday to seek a recount of the ballots.
Under Georgia law, after an election is certified, a candidate can request a recount if the margin of victory is less than 0.5%. Mr. Trump is within that margin. The Trump campaign again criticized the state’s counting process Saturday. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, has defended the procedures as secure and transparent. Georgia has already completed a hand recount of its about 5 million presidential votes, which the secretary of state had ordered. The hand review confirmed Mr. Biden’s victory. A recount requested after certification wouldn’t be by hand. Instead, it would be a rescanning of ballots through machines, according to state rules. The Trump campaign said Saturday the recount “has to include signature matching and other vital safeguards.” The recount is meant to examine ballots, not signatures. Signatures have already been verified, the secretary of state’s office has said.
The timing of Loeffler’s quarantine is unfortunate. Both she and Perdue need to stay healthy and active on the campaign trail. Democrats are determined to flip Georgia to a blue state in the Senate and allow Chuck Schumer to become the Senate Majority Leader. The last thing we need is for Democrats to control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives.


hotair--2020-11-22--Who is the shepherd? Sunday reflection

Who is the shepherd? Sunday reflection

Jesus said to his disciples : “ When the Son of Man comes in his glory , and all the angels with him , he will sit upon his glorious throne , and all the nations will be assembled before him .
And he will separate them one from another , as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats .
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left .
Then the king will say to those on his right , ‘ Come , you who are blessed by my Father .
Inherit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the world .
For I was hungry and you gave me food , I was thirsty and you gave me drink , a stranger and you welcomed me , naked and you clothed me , ill and you cared for me , in prison and you visited me.
’ “ Then the righteous will answer him and say , ‘ Lord , when did we see you hungry and feed you , or thirsty and give you drink ?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you , or naked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see you ill or in prison , and visit you ?
’ And the king will say to them in reply , ‘ Amen , I say to you , whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine , you did for me.
’ “ Then he will say to those on his left , ‘ Depart from me , you accursed , into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels .
For I was hungry and you gave me no food , I was thirsty and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stranger and you gave me no welcome , naked and you gave me no clothing , ill and in prison , and you did not care for me.
’ “ Then they will answer and say , ‘ Lord , when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison , and not minister to your needs ?
’ He will answer them , ‘ Amen , I say to you , what you did not do for one of these least ones , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these will go off to eternal punishment , but the righteous to eternal life.
” What exactly is faith and the caritas/agape form of love ?
Those are central questions for any Christian seeking discipleship , questions for which our readings today give us clear answers .
Faith is more than knowledge , and love is more than just a feeling .
In both , Jesus calls us to active participation in the Lord ’ s work , and perhaps makes it clearer in Matthew ’ s Gospel reading than in anywhere else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is my shepherd , ” reads Psalm 23 , “ there is nothing I shall want.
” Today ’ s responsorial relates directly to our readings today by explaining the Lord ’ s relationship to us as a basis .
God is pure agape , the self-giving and self-sacrificing form of love ( as opposed to eros , philia , storge , and other classical Greek distinctions ) .
The best model for that kind of self-sacrifice in Old Testament times was a shepherd , a role that required extraordinary self-sacrifice and hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of shepherds goes all the way back to Genesis .
In Gen 49 , Jacob is called “ the Shepherd , the Rock of Israel ” ; in Exodus 27:17 , Moses asks the Lord to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land so “ that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.
” In 2 Samuel , the tribes of Israel pay homage to David , declaring that the Lord told him , “ You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel.
” David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention of the Lord as a shepherd , but hardly the only one .
In our first reading from Ezekiel , the Lord uses that imagery explicitly , declaring Himself the shepherd and His people “ my sheep.
” The Lord doesn ’ t anticipate that being a relaxed proposition , either : It ’ s clear that God Himself sees agape love , that which exists within the Trinity and to which we are called for salvation , as an active force .
It is not merely just having or expressing loving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
God seeks us out as a shepherd would a lost lamb from a flock .
He sends the prophets and the scriptures to us to call us back to Him .
And finally , He sent His Son to us as well , who embraces the shepherd imagery again .
Jesus makes mention of shepherds in this parable , which is notable for its directness and for Jesus ’ immediate explanation afterward .
In fact , it ’ s barely a parable at all , as Jesus dispenses with the trappings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of His disciples in salvation .
What are we all called to do in this passage ?
We are called to welcome the stranger , clothe the naked , give sustenance to the hungry and thirsty , and attend the sick and imprisoned .
What do those tasks resemble ?
They resemble the responsibilities of a shepherd , whose duty is to find the lost , feed the flock , take care of its ill and injured , and free the trapped among them .
We are called to take action in faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where there is injustice or disfavor , to bring the herd back together in harmony with the Lord .
Being a disciple is , therefore , a much more active role than just being sheep .
The sheep must also become shepherds themselves , not just out of duty but out of love — the kind of agape/caritas love that calls us to self-sacrifice even for those whom we do not know , or even for those who hate us .
If we have not done that much for the Lord , acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesus warns that we will not be known to Him at the last accounting .
This underscores that faith is active , not passive , and not just grounded in feelings but in our role in advancing the knowledge of salvation in this world .
To truly know and accept Jesus is to take His yoke on our shoulders in the Great Commission .
More than that , it is to love God ’ s sons and daughters as God loves them , even if we don ’ t or if they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that manner brings us closer to God as we align our wills to His , which itself forms us ever more to live within the Trinitarian caritas for eternity .
Image from the mausoleum of Galla Placidia , Ravenna , Italy ( 425-50 AD ) .
“ 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 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion .
Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here .

This morning’s Gospel reading is Matthew 25:31–46:
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ “Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
What exactly is faith and the caritas/agape form of love? Those are central questions for any Christian seeking discipleship, questions for which our readings today give us clear answers. Faith is more than knowledge, and love is more than just a feeling. In both, Jesus calls us to active participation in the Lord’s work, and perhaps makes it clearer in Matthew’s Gospel reading than in anywhere else in the scriptures.
“The Lord is my shepherd,” reads Psalm 23, “there is nothing I shall want.” Today’s responsorial relates directly to our readings today by explaining the Lord’s relationship to us as a basis. God is pure agape, the self-giving and self-sacrificing form of love (as opposed to eros, philia, storge, and other classical Greek distinctions). The best model for that kind of self-sacrifice in Old Testament times was a shepherd, a role that required extraordinary self-sacrifice and hard work to accomplish well.
The image of shepherds goes all the way back to Genesis. In Gen 49, Jacob is called “the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel”; in Exodus 27:17, Moses asks the Lord to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land so “that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.” In 2 Samuel, the tribes of Israel pay homage to David, declaring that the Lord told him, “You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel.”
David’s psalm makes the first direct mention of the Lord as a shepherd, but hardly the only one. In our first reading from Ezekiel, the Lord uses that imagery explicitly, declaring Himself the shepherd and His people “my sheep.” The Lord doesn’t anticipate that being a relaxed proposition, either:
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.
It’s clear that God Himself sees agape love, that which exists within the Trinity and to which we are called for salvation, as an active force. It is not merely just having or expressing loving feelings while letting matters play out passively. God seeks us out as a shepherd would a lost lamb from a flock. He sends the prophets and the scriptures to us to call us back to Him.
And finally, He sent His Son to us as well, who embraces the shepherd imagery again. Jesus makes mention of shepherds in this parable, which is notable for its directness and for Jesus’ immediate explanation afterward. In fact, it’s barely a parable at all, as Jesus dispenses with the trappings of parables to teach directly on the mission of His disciples in salvation.
What are we all called to do in this passage? We are called to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, give sustenance to the hungry and thirsty, and attend the sick and imprisoned. What do those tasks resemble? They resemble the responsibilities of a shepherd, whose duty is to find the lost, feed the flock, take care of its ill and injured, and free the trapped among them. We are called to take action in faith and in this world — to intercede where there is injustice or disfavor, to bring the herd back together in harmony with the Lord.
Being a disciple is, therefore, a much more active role than just being sheep. The sheep must also become shepherds themselves, not just out of duty but out of love — the kind of agape/caritas love that calls us to self-sacrifice even for those whom we do not know, or even for those who hate us. If we have not done that much for the Lord, acting as shepherds for His flock, then Jesus warns that we will not be known to Him at the last accounting.
This underscores that faith is active, not passive, and not just grounded in feelings but in our role in advancing the knowledge of salvation in this world. To truly know and accept Jesus is to take His yoke on our shoulders in the Great Commission. More than that, it is to love God’s sons and daughters as God loves them, even if we don’t or if they don’t love us. To love in that manner brings us closer to God as we align our wills to His, which itself forms us ever more to live within the Trinitarian caritas for eternity.
Image from the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna, Italy (425-50 AD).
“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.


hotair--2020-11-22--FDA gives emergency approval to COVID treatment Trump received

The Foof and Drug Administration appears to be in a generous mood when it comes to offering emergency approvals for nascent COVID treatments , at least thus far .
A number of vaccines have been flying through their initial trials at Warp Speed ( to borrow a phrase from the White House ) and showing a lot of promise .
Now we can add another development to the list .
The FDA has issued emergency approval for the use of Regeneron ’ s COVID-19 antibody drug .
While not a miracle cure , it ’ s intended to diminish the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients who experience relatively mild symptoms , stopping them from developing a more severe case and potentially shortening the length of their affliction and minimizing aftereffects .
Oh , and it ’ s also the drug that was given to President Trump during his very short battle with the novel coronavirus .
( NY Post ) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the green light for emergency use of Regeneron ’ s COVID-19 antibody drug — the same treatment given to President Trump .
The treatment is aimed at those with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those hospitalized as a result of the virus , the FDA said .
The treatment works by mimicking the body ’ s own immune system to prevent the infected from become severely ill .
This is actually the second of this type of drug to gain emergency approval .
Eli Lilly & Co. has a similar treatment that was approved a couple of weeks ago .
The approval and success rate seen thus far is the good news .
The bad news is that nearly all of the patients currently in treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Regeneron is saying that they won ’ t have more than 80,000 doses ready to go by the end of the month .
Fortunately , their production should ramp up quickly once they get rolling .
Any discussion of this story wouldn ’ t be complete without a brief stroll down memory lane for yet another look at how the mainstream media has politicized the pandemic and weaponized their coverage of it against the President .
Some of you may be old enough to remember all the way back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus and was given Regeneron ’ s antibody-drug as part of his treatment .
You may also recall the headlines that decision by the President ’ s doctors generated .
The New York Times immediately bleated about how Trump ’ s treatment was “ a double-edged sword ” for Regeneron .
They claimed that Trump ’ s claims of how much the drug had helped him “ sowed suspicion about whether the treatment really works.
” That ’ s funny .
All of the doctors who prescribed it during testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for national distribution don ’ t seem very suspicious .
Politico was quick to focus on comments made by Regeneron ’ s CEO who confessed that the President was a “ case study of one ” and his results provided “ kind of the weakest evidence that you can get.
” Of course , he wasn ’ t questioning his own product .
He was simply pointing out that more exhaustive testing would be required before conclusions could be drawn .
You know , I seem to recall being told that journalists shouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt or fear among the public when it comes to the pandemic .
I guess those rules didn ’ t apply to Politico .
Barrons simply called Trump ’ s Regeneron treatment “ a tangled ethical mess.
” The list goes on .
Anything the President said or did in relation to the pandemic , be it the policies he implemented nationally or his own personal experience , had to be attacked , called into question or dismissed in some fashion .
And yet here we are today , barely six weeks later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval and should be helping to tame the pandemic until a proven vaccine is widely available .
And Donald Trump wound up personally being part of the initial testing , using his own immune system as one of the guinea pigs .
Don ’ t expect to see him getting any of the credit from the New York Times , however .

The Foof and Drug Administration appears to be in a generous mood when it comes to offering emergency approvals for nascent COVID treatments, at least thus far. A number of vaccines have been flying through their initial trials at Warp Speed (to borrow a phrase from the White House) and showing a lot of promise. Now we can add another development to the list. The FDA has issued emergency approval for the use of Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody drug. While not a miracle cure, it’s intended to diminish the symptoms and severity of the disease in patients who experience relatively mild symptoms, stopping them from developing a more severe case and potentially shortening the length of their affliction and minimizing aftereffects. Oh, and it’s also the drug that was given to President Trump during his very short battle with the novel coronavirus. (NY Post)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the green light for emergency use of Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody drug — the same treatment given to President Trump. The treatment is aimed at those with mild cases of COVID-19, and not for those hospitalized as a result of the virus, the FDA said. The treatment works by mimicking the body’s own immune system to prevent the infected from become severely ill.
This is actually the second of this type of drug to gain emergency approval. Eli Lilly & Co. has a similar treatment that was approved a couple of weeks ago.
The approval and success rate seen thus far is the good news. The bad news is that nearly all of the patients currently in treatment won’t be able to get it. Regeneron is saying that they won’t have more than 80,000 doses ready to go by the end of the month. Fortunately, their production should ramp up quickly once they get rolling.
Any discussion of this story wouldn’t be complete without a brief stroll down memory lane for yet another look at how the mainstream media has politicized the pandemic and weaponized their coverage of it against the President. Some of you may be old enough to remember all the way back to the second week of October when President Trump contracted the virus and was given Regeneron’s antibody-drug as part of his treatment. You may also recall the headlines that decision by the President’s doctors generated.
The New York Times immediately bleated about how Trump’s treatment was “a double-edged sword” for Regeneron. They claimed that Trump’s claims of how much the drug had helped him “sowed suspicion about whether the treatment really works.” That’s funny. All of the doctors who prescribed it during testing and the ones who have now approved it for national distribution don’t seem very suspicious.
Politico was quick to focus on comments made by Regeneron’s CEO who confessed that the President was a “case study of one” and his results provided “kind of the weakest evidence that you can get.” Of course, he wasn’t questioning his own product. He was simply pointing out that more exhaustive testing would be required before conclusions could be drawn. You know, I seem to recall being told that journalists shouldn’t be undermining science and sowing doubt or fear among the public when it comes to the pandemic. I guess those rules didn’t apply to Politico.
Barrons simply called Trump’s Regeneron treatment “a tangled ethical mess.” The list goes on. Anything the President said or did in relation to the pandemic, be it the policies he implemented nationally or his own personal experience, had to be attacked, called into question or dismissed in some fashion.
And yet here we are today, barely six weeks later. The drug treatment has received emergency approval and should be helping to tame the pandemic until a proven vaccine is widely available. And Donald Trump wound up personally being part of the initial testing, using his own immune system as one of the guinea pigs. Don’t expect to see him getting any of the credit from the New York Times, however.


hotair--2020-11-22--End game? Federal judge in PA aggressively boots Trump lawsuit

The Trump campaign sent Rudy Giuliani into court personally in Pennsylvania to make the case for preventing the Keystone State from certifying their election results and awarding twenty more electoral votes to Joe Biden .
Yesterday we found out that it didn ’ t go very well for Rudy .
In fact , it ’ s hard to describe what happened as anything other than a crushing defeat .
The judge in the case was rather brutal in his dismissal of the suit , saying that Trump ’ s case consisted of “ strained legal arguments without merit and speculative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to paint this in a positive light ( as we ’ ll get to in a moment ) but there ’ s really no way to put this outcome in a good light .
( Associated Press ) Pennsylvania officials can certify election results that currently show Democrat Joe Biden winning the state by more than 80,000 votes , a federal judge ruled Saturday , dealing President Donald Trump ’ s campaign another blow in its effort to invalidate the election .
U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann in Williamsport , Pennsylvania , turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s campaign .
In his ruling , Brann said the Trump campaign presented “ strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations … unsupported by evidence.
” “ In the United States of America , this can not justify the disenfranchisement of a single voter , let alone all the voters of its sixth most populated state , ” the opinion said .
“ Our people , laws , and institutions demand more.
” I ’ ve seen multiple sources this morning describing Judge Brann as a “ lifelong conservative Republican.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have found a more potentially friendly audience for this lawsuit but Brann tossed it out with an opinion that appeared to border on sarcasm at times .
And there ’ s probably a good reason for that .
We ’ ve been hearing one story after another about massive fraud .
When such claims are made , they clearly need to be investigated .
But thus far that ’ s all we ’ ve seen… claims .
If there ’ s any hard evidence of irregularities on such a massive scale that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these states , that proof needed to be presented yesterday , if not far sooner .
Yes , we ’ ve discovered and highlight individual instances of people requesting ballots for their dead relatives and ballots winding up in dumpsters here and there .
But the accusations being leveled by the Trump campaign would require some sort of massive , systemic fraud .
We can ’ t expect the courts , no matter who is sitting at the bench , to simply toss out an entire election based on witnesses who didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a counting room .
If the voting machines were switching votes to Biden , the paper ballots should have revealed that during the hand counts .
But the evidence simply hasn ’ t been presented at this point .
Giuliani is saying that this is actually good news because the dismissal will allow him to take the appeal to the Supreme Court all the faster .
But do we honestly believe that this is going to change anything at this point ?
And would we want it to ?
Look , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this race than the vast majority of Hot Air readers are .
But even with a firmly conservative majority on the nation ’ s highest court , can you honestly say that you want them to start flipping the results of states without some firm proof that the actual results were rigged to such a massive extent ?
I have plenty of friends who are still holding out hope and grasping at any straw they can find at conservative news outlets .
And if something really dramatic comes to light ( well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least three dramatic “ somethings ” at this point because Trump needs to flip at least three states ) then I ’ ll be pulling for the President ’ s campaign as well .
But from the beginning of this contest , we all knew that it was going to come down to some very close races in a half dozen or so swing states .
And when a race is that close , the possibility of coming up short exists .
The President delivered some early victories in key states like Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people through mail-in voting .
If the Supreme Court declines to hear the Pennsylvania case it ’ s highly unlikely that they ’ ll entertain any others in Georgia , Michigan or Nevada .
And if that ’ s the result then it will be time to admit that President Trump gave it all he had on the campaign trail but came up short in a few too many critical states .
At that point , we will need to focus on what ’ s happening in Georgia and try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If we lose that , 2020 is going to look like a picnic compared to 2021 and 2022 .

The Trump campaign sent Rudy Giuliani into court personally in Pennsylvania to make the case for preventing the Keystone State from certifying their election results and awarding twenty more electoral votes to Joe Biden. Yesterday we found out that it didn’t go very well for Rudy. In fact, it’s hard to describe what happened as anything other than a crushing defeat. The judge in the case was rather brutal in his dismissal of the suit, saying that Trump’s case consisted of “strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations unsupported by evidence.” Giuliani tried to paint this in a positive light (as we’ll get to in a moment) but there’s really no way to put this outcome in a good light. (Associated Press)
Pennsylvania officials can certify election results that currently show Democrat Joe Biden winning the state by more than 80,000 votes, a federal judge ruled Saturday, dealing President Donald Trump’s campaign another blow in its effort to invalidate the election. U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, turned down the request for an injunction by Trump’s campaign. In his ruling, Brann said the Trump campaign presented “strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations … unsupported by evidence.” “In the United States of America, this cannot justify the disenfranchisement of a single voter, let alone all the voters of its sixth most populated state,” the opinion said. “Our people, laws, and institutions demand more.”
I’ve seen multiple sources this morning describing Judge Brann as a “lifelong conservative Republican.” The President probably couldn’t have found a more potentially friendly audience for this lawsuit but Brann tossed it out with an opinion that appeared to border on sarcasm at times. And there’s probably a good reason for that.
We’ve been hearing one story after another about massive fraud. When such claims are made, they clearly need to be investigated. But thus far that’s all we’ve seen… claims. If there’s any hard evidence of irregularities on such a massive scale that they would begin invalidating the elections in any of these states, that proof needed to be presented yesterday, if not far sooner. Yes, we’ve discovered and highlight individual instances of people requesting ballots for their dead relatives and ballots winding up in dumpsters here and there. But the accusations being leveled by the Trump campaign would require some sort of massive, systemic fraud. We can’t expect the courts, no matter who is sitting at the bench, to simply toss out an entire election based on witnesses who didn’t like the way something looked in a counting room. If the voting machines were switching votes to Biden, the paper ballots should have revealed that during the hand counts. But the evidence simply hasn’t been presented at this point.
Giuliani is saying that this is actually good news because the dismissal will allow him to take the appeal to the Supreme Court all the faster. But do we honestly believe that this is going to change anything at this point? And would we want it to? Look, I’m no happier about the outcome of this race than the vast majority of Hot Air readers are. But even with a firmly conservative majority on the nation’s highest court, can you honestly say that you want them to start flipping the results of states without some firm proof that the actual results were rigged to such a massive extent?
I have plenty of friends who are still holding out hope and grasping at any straw they can find at conservative news outlets. And if something really dramatic comes to light (well, it would have to be at least three dramatic “somethings” at this point because Trump needs to flip at least three states) then I’ll be pulling for the President’s campaign as well. But from the beginning of this contest, we all knew that it was going to come down to some very close races in a half dozen or so swing states. And when a race is that close, the possibility of coming up short exists. The President delivered some early victories in key states like Florida, but the Democrats turned out a lot of people through mail-in voting.
If the Supreme Court declines to hear the Pennsylvania case it’s highly unlikely that they’ll entertain any others in Georgia, Michigan or Nevada. And if that’s the result then it will be time to admit that President Trump gave it all he had on the campaign trail but came up short in a few too many critical states. At that point, we will need to focus on what’s happening in Georgia and try to keep hold of the Senate majority. If we lose that, 2020 is going to look like a picnic compared to 2021 and 2022.


hotair--2020-11-23--Putin: Not so fast on this "Biden as president" thing

Was Vladimir Putin really pulling for Donald Trump to win a second term in office ?
Whether you think the Russians were engaging in any online “ meddling ” in our election or not , the Russian President is certainly acting as if he wasn ’ t a fan of Joe Biden ’ s .
Putin has yet to send a congratulatory message to Uncle Joe , and when he was asked about the situation on Sunday morning he wasn ’ t willing to officially recognize Biden as the next president .
It wasn ’ t a total rebuttal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he gives for his lack of recognition thus far are actually pretty reasonable if you ’ re willing to take them at face value .
Of course , that ’ s a pretty big “ if.
” ( Bloomberg ) Russian President Vladimir Putin said he ’ s ready to work with any U.S. leader , but still isn ’ t ready to recognize the election victory of Joe Biden .
“ We will work with anyone who has the confidence of the American people , ” Putin said on Russian state TV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only be given to a candidate whose victory has been recognized by the opposing party , or after the results are confirmed in a legitimate , legal way.
” The comments are some of the most detailed since the election from Putin , one of a dwindling number of leaders who haven ’ t recognized Biden as the next U.S. head of state .
Russia , accused by U.S. intelligence agencies of intervening in 2016 to help get Trump elected , has been wary of Biden , fearing an increase in sanctions pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any American president would care whether or not Putin is acting all warm and fuzzy toward them at this point is a mystery .
Russia is an adversary , not an ally in everything except our cooperative efforts in outer space .
And even that relationship is probably going to be hitting the skids now that Elon Musk is taking astronauts back and forth to the International Space Station on a regular basis .
Putin ’ s comments delivered a display of conflicting messages , however .
He wasn ’ t talking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s BFF by any means .
During some follow-up questions , a reporter asked Putin if he was worried that a Biden presidency “ could damage U.S.-Russia relations , ” he gave a rather cryptic response .
“ There ’ s nothing to damage , ” he said .
“ They ’ re already ruined.
” Despite the media ’ s constant barrage of claims about Donald Trump being beholden to or otherwise under the influence of Russia , Putin is correct .
While some observers wish he had done more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions and openly battled them for their share of the European oil and gas market .
He ’ s probably held back more than he might have because he ’ s been working ( unsuccessfully ) on a new nuclear arms treaty with them .
But if the Russian relationship is “ already ruined , ” as Putin said , Russia had more to do with its deterioration than we did .
They ’ ve been increasingly siding with nations that are hostile to us like North Korea , Venezuela and Iran .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s relationship with Turkey , though Recip Tayyip Erdogan has been a willing , if not eager participant in that hot mess .
Putin has pumped money and military assets into Venezuela to prop up the failing regime of Nicolas Maduro and he ’ s been helping Kim Jong-un violate international sanctions on his nation for years .
Assuming Joe Biden is sworn in two months from now , Russia will not be on his Christmas card list .
But they really aren ’ t on Trump ’ s either .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victor shouldn ’ t factor into our considerations to any great degree .

Was Vladimir Putin really pulling for Donald Trump to win a second term in office? Whether you think the Russians were engaging in any online “meddling” in our election or not, the Russian President is certainly acting as if he wasn’t a fan of Joe Biden’s. Putin has yet to send a congratulatory message to Uncle Joe, and when he was asked about the situation on Sunday morning he wasn’t willing to officially recognize Biden as the next president. It wasn’t a total rebuttal of Biden either, however. The reasons he gives for his lack of recognition thus far are actually pretty reasonable if you’re willing to take them at face value. Of course, that’s a pretty big “if.” (Bloomberg)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s ready to work with any U.S. leader, but still isn’t ready to recognize the election victory of Joe Biden. “We will work with anyone who has the confidence of the American people,” Putin said on Russian state TV Sunday. “But that confidence can only be given to a candidate whose victory has been recognized by the opposing party, or after the results are confirmed in a legitimate, legal way.” The comments are some of the most detailed since the election from Putin, one of a dwindling number of leaders who haven’t recognized Biden as the next U.S. head of state. Russia, accused by U.S. intelligence agencies of intervening in 2016 to help get Trump elected, has been wary of Biden, fearing an increase in sanctions pressure and clashes over human rights.
Why any American president would care whether or not Putin is acting all warm and fuzzy toward them at this point is a mystery. Russia is an adversary, not an ally in everything except our cooperative efforts in outer space. And even that relationship is probably going to be hitting the skids now that Elon Musk is taking astronauts back and forth to the International Space Station on a regular basis.
Putin’s comments delivered a display of conflicting messages, however. He wasn’t talking to the press like he’s Donald Trump’s BFF by any means. During some follow-up questions, a reporter asked Putin if he was worried that a Biden presidency “could damage U.S.-Russia relations,” he gave a rather cryptic response.
“There’s nothing to damage,” he said. “They’re already ruined.”
Despite the media’s constant barrage of claims about Donald Trump being beholden to or otherwise under the influence of Russia, Putin is correct. While some observers wish he had done more, Trump has hit various Russians with sanctions and openly battled them for their share of the European oil and gas market. He’s probably held back more than he might have because he’s been working (unsuccessfully) on a new nuclear arms treaty with them.
But if the Russian relationship is “already ruined,” as Putin said, Russia had more to do with its deterioration than we did. They’ve been increasingly siding with nations that are hostile to us like North Korea, Venezuela and Iran. Putin has helped further undermine the west’s relationship with Turkey, though Recip Tayyip Erdogan has been a willing, if not eager participant in that hot mess. Putin has pumped money and military assets into Venezuela to prop up the failing regime of Nicolas Maduro and he’s been helping Kim Jong-un violate international sanctions on his nation for years.
Assuming Joe Biden is sworn in two months from now, Russia will not be on his Christmas card list. But they really aren’t on Trump’s either. So when and if Putin recognizes Biden as the victor shouldn’t factor into our considerations to any great degree.


hotair--2020-11-23--Black Friday shopping is different this year, being "reinvented"

There won ’ t be any news videos of overly aggressive eager bargain hunters storming the front doors of retail businesses on Black Friday this year .
In 2020 , the year of the coronavirus pandemic , the day is being “ reinvented ” to accommodate the guidelines of mitigating the virus .
Black Friday , the day after Thanksgiving , is one of the biggest shopping days of the year for retail sales .
It is regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping season .
The name comes from the sales volume of the day when retailers see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black.
” So , in a year when many small businesses and larger ones , too , are struggling to hang on during on and off lockdowns , this year ’ s holiday season is an especially important one .
Many businesses are beginning to lobby for a status change from being labeled as a non-essential business to an essential business .
Their logic is good , frankly .
State and local governments are choosing winners and losers when they shut down cities and states to some retail businesses but not others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ no rhyme or reason to the decisions being made .
For example , early on in the coronavirus pandemic , businesses critical to maintaining citizens ’ basic needs like health care services , grocery stores , home improvement stores , and gas stations , were declared essential .
It ’ s logical that these were chosen to make the cut .
Malls , gyms , movie theaters , and bars were determined to be non-essential businesses in order to stop the spread of the virus .
What this logic ignores , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and use the standard coronavirus guidelines .
This includes mom and pop shops as well as big-box stores .
The lockdowns have killed off many small businesses already .
Shouldn ’ t those hanging on by a thread now be able to open up and have the opportunity to make enough sales to stay afloat ?
One example of a retailer that has been a loser during shutdowns is Macy ’ s .
Macy ’ s , for example , was deemed a “ non-essential ” business at the onset of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost sales to businesses that sold groceries and other everyday items like Amazon , Walmart , Target , Costco , which were allowed to remain open .
Macy ’ s still has not fully recovered : Sales at stores open for at least one year dropped 21 % during the 13 weeks ending October 30 compared with the same stretch last year , Macy ’ s said Thursday .
The retailer ’ s big-box rivals and Amazon have grown in recent months .
On a call with analysts Thursday , Macy ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with local and state leaders to ensure coronavirus safety measures were in place and urged officials to remove the distinction between essential and non-essential retailers .
“ We don ’ t believe the designation of essential and non-essential should play in retail .
We believe you either have a safe environment or not , ” he said .
“ You should be held accountable to health and safety standards.
” There is no reason why safety measures and protocols can ’ t be in place and allow retail stores now deemed non-essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Big box stores like Target and Walmart are reinventing Black Friday to expand the day into several days of sales .
The surge of online sales during the pandemic makes it easier for the brick and mortar stores to accommodate the coronavirus guidelines .
Many stores are closing this year on Thanksgiving , giving their employees the day at home and reducing their health risks .
Merchants are trying to be optimistic about what their sales might be if allowed to be open .
Target is going all out to accommodate shoppers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing their stores on Thanksgiving Day .
Target continues to roll out its Black Friday deals throughout the month .
From now until Nov. 21 , the store will offer discounts on electronics , apparel and beauty products .
Between Nov. 22 and 28 , shoppers can find deals on toys , kitchen , floorcare and electronics , including video games and select consoles .
In addition to mask requirements and social distancing , the store will enact new safety measures for the holiday shopping season .
Shoppers will be able to check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there ’ s a line outside their local store and to reserve a spot in line .
Contactless payments will be allowed for customers .
Employees will also help checkout shoppers anywhere throughout the store on mobile devices .
“ We ’ re taking a completely new approach to Black Friday , giving guests more flexibility and ensuring they can plan ahead for a safe , stress-free shopping experience , ” Christina Hennington , the executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Target , said .
Target stores will close on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ store hours on Black Friday , according to the Star Tribune .
Other countries are testing ways to hold holiday sales while allowing both small and big businesses to compete .
In France , Amazon is complying with President Macron ’ s mandate to postpone Black Friday sales until December 4 .
This will give local shopkeepers struggling through national lockdowns to compete with the mega-giant retailer for sales .
The French Finance Minister says the postponement will “ level the playing field.
” Black Friday shopping will be different this year but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come .
Thorne believes there is an appetite to keep the annual sales event going with American shoppers .
Losing the madness of customers storming through the glass doors of a store is probably a good thing .
Let ’ s hope the smaller businesses get to reopen and compete this year , too .

There won’t be any news videos of overly aggressive eager bargain hunters storming the front doors of retail businesses on Black Friday this year. In 2020, the year of the coronavirus pandemic, the day is being “reinvented” to accommodate the guidelines of mitigating the virus.
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is one of the biggest shopping days of the year for retail sales. It is regarded as the start of the Christmas shopping season. The name comes from the sales volume of the day when retailers see positive earnings and profits “in the black.” So, in a year when many small businesses and larger ones, too, are struggling to hang on during on and off lockdowns, this year’s holiday season is an especially important one.
Many businesses are beginning to lobby for a status change from being labeled as a non-essential business to an essential business. Their logic is good, frankly. State and local governments are choosing winners and losers when they shut down cities and states to some retail businesses but not others. Sometimes it looks as though there is no rhyme or reason to the decisions being made. For example, early on in the coronavirus pandemic, businesses critical to maintaining citizens’ basic needs like health care services, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and gas stations, were declared essential. It’s logical that these were chosen to make the cut. Malls, gyms, movie theaters, and bars were determined to be non-essential businesses in order to stop the spread of the virus. What this logic ignores, though, is that any business can stay open and use the standard coronavirus guidelines. This includes mom and pop shops as well as big-box stores. The lockdowns have killed off many small businesses already. Shouldn’t those hanging on by a thread now be able to open up and have the opportunity to make enough sales to stay afloat? One example of a retailer that has been a loser during shutdowns is Macy’s.
Macy’s, for example, was deemed a “non-essential” business at the onset of the pandemic and closed its stores. The retailer lost sales to businesses that sold groceries and other everyday items like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, which were allowed to remain open. Macy’s still has not fully recovered: Sales at stores open for at least one year dropped 21% during the 13 weeks ending October 30 compared with the same stretch last year, Macy’s said Thursday. The retailer’s big-box rivals and Amazon have grown in recent months. On a call with analysts Thursday, Macy’s CEO Jeffrey Gennette said the retailer was working with local and state leaders to ensure coronavirus safety measures were in place and urged officials to remove the distinction between essential and non-essential retailers. “We don’t believe the designation of essential and non-essential should play in retail. We believe you either have a safe environment or not,” he said. “You should be held accountable to health and safety standards.”
There is no reason why safety measures and protocols can’t be in place and allow retail stores now deemed non-essential to re-open or remain open despite lockdowns.
Big box stores like Target and Walmart are reinventing Black Friday to expand the day into several days of sales. The surge of online sales during the pandemic makes it easier for the brick and mortar stores to accommodate the coronavirus guidelines. Many stores are closing this year on Thanksgiving, giving their employees the day at home and reducing their health risks.
Scott McCall, Walmart U.S. executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, said in a recent interview with USA TODAY that more online offers makes for a “safer and more convenient way to shop” and helps manage in-store traffic. “The doorbuster deals will be online, but we’re also going to have great prices in-store,” McCall said.
Merchants are trying to be optimistic about what their sales might be if allowed to be open.
“In terms of the traditional shopping on Black Friday with massive crowds,” Bill Thorne with the National Retail Federation, explained, “I don’t think you’re going to see that. But people are going to shop Black Friday.” “Their expectations are pretty optimistic. Will it be the same as they’ve seen in the past? We’ll see,” Thorne said.
Target is going all out to accommodate shoppers, advertising sales all month and also closing their stores on Thanksgiving Day.
Target continues to roll out its Black Friday deals throughout the month. From now until Nov. 21, the store will offer discounts on electronics, apparel and beauty products. Between Nov. 22 and 28, shoppers can find deals on toys, kitchen, floorcare and electronics, including video games and select consoles. In addition to mask requirements and social distancing, the store will enact new safety measures for the holiday shopping season. Shoppers will be able to check the store’s website to see if there’s a line outside their local store and to reserve a spot in line. Contactless payments will be allowed for customers. Employees will also help checkout shoppers anywhere throughout the store on mobile devices. “We’re taking a completely new approach to Black Friday, giving guests more flexibility and ensuring they can plan ahead for a safe, stress-free shopping experience,” Christina Hennington, the executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Target, said. Target stores will close on Thanksgiving Day and will open for normal store hours on Black Friday, according to the Star Tribune.
Other countries are testing ways to hold holiday sales while allowing both small and big businesses to compete. In France, Amazon is complying with President Macron’s mandate to postpone Black Friday sales until December 4. This will give local shopkeepers struggling through national lockdowns to compete with the mega-giant retailer for sales. The French Finance Minister says the postponement will “level the playing field.”
To level the playing field, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire this week called on supermarkets and online retailers to postpone Black Friday, which runs from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29, as shops selling non-essential goods would have to remain closed during lockdown. Competition from Amazon first prompted European retailers to adopt the U.S. tradition of making Black Friday – the day after U.S. Thanksgiving – the kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Amazon France Chief Executive Frederic Duval said on Thursday the company would push the event back to Dec. 4, joining other retailers such as European market leader Carrefour and France’s Leclerc.
Black Friday shopping will be different this year but it will likely continue in years to come. Thorne believes there is an appetite to keep the annual sales event going with American shoppers.
“If they decide they think that Black Friday can be done in a better way, they’re going to do in a better way and if that means without the thousands of people crowded around in stores, then you’re not going to see that,” he said.
Losing the madness of customers storming through the glass doors of a store is probably a good thing. Let’s hope the smaller businesses get to reopen and compete this year, too.


hotair--2020-11-23--Unbelievable: Cuomo says he's inviting his 89-year-old mother to Thanksgiving dinner; <span class='r

Unbelievable: Cuomo says he's inviting his 89-year-old mother to Thanksgiving dinner; Update: Cuomo cancels

I happened to catch a few minutes of Chris Cuomo ’ s interview with Fauci last week when they were talking about needing to limit Thanksgiving to one ’ s immediate household this year .
And Cuomo said something to the effect of , “ I ’ m not seeing my mom this year , she ’ ll be with my brother.
” And I thought , “ Knowing what the guidance is , Andrew Cuomo ’ s bringing an elderly woman into his home for Thanksgiving ?
” But then I thought , “ Nah , c ’ mon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him and is already in the same ‘ bubble ’ as him.
” So imagine my embarrassment this afternoon upon discovering that , indeed , Cuomo ’ s bringing an elderly woman into his home for Thanksgiving .
And not just her .
Apparently his daughters are en route as well , to up the odds of infection a little further .
Don ’ t forget to set an extra plate at the table for ‘ rona , my man .
He should be dining alone this year , like me and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When you dine alone , you don ’ t dine with COVID .
Anyway , I gave him the benefit of the doubt despite knowing that he ’ s ( a ) a moron and ( b ) a terrible leader .
I deeply regret the error .
“ So after killing everyone else ’ s grandmas through his disastrous nursing home order , Cuomo is keen to kill his own , ” says Tiana Lowe .
Well , his children ’ s grandma , but yes .
America ’ s worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior citizen in New York has RSVP ’ d to the big Thanksgiving dinner in the sky .
He ’ s getting destroyed for this on social media this evening , and not just by conservatives .
There are myriad examples of political leaders setting social-distancing rules for the rabble and then breaking those rules themselves , as we saw most recently with Gavin Newsom ’ s dinner at The French Laundry .
But something about Cuomo going rogue on Thanksgiving feels like the ne plus ultra of the genre .
What better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic than having the guy who presided over New York ’ s spring apocalypse spend weeks warning about the threat from holiday gatherings and then carving the turkey at a big family dinner himself ?
With an 89-year-old woman at his side , to boot .
Didn ’ t … didn ’ t he just say that he *wasn ’ t* going to do this ?
I hope he ’ s not going to tell us , “ Don ’ t worry , everyone ’ s getting tested beforehand.
” That ain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chief .
Especially if the tests are those rapid ones that tend to produce false negatives , which may or may not explain how we ’ ve ended up with three or four separate outbreaks at the White House this fall .
Via the Free Beacon , here he is accepting his international Emmy for worst performance by a terrible manager during an epic crisis .
Fox host Janice Dean lost both her mother-in-law and father-in-law to New York ’ s first wave of COVID this past spring and has been demanding accountability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies .
She was interviewed this morning on Fox and said something that shocked me even in a year when I thought I ’ d lost my capacity for shock : “ I heard that to get an Emmy Award , you have to send videotape of yourself to the board members .
And so to think that the governor was going through some of his TV appearances talking about deaths in New York and submitting those videos to the Emmy folks really makes me physically sick.
” Did Cuomo or one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Taking his eye off the ball of containing the virus in order to promote himself sounds , uh … it sounds exactly like something he ’ d do , come to think of it .
Update : As with Gavin Newsom , this guy had to browbeat by half the Internet for the terrible example he set before realizing the error of his ways .
He ’ s given up on the family dinner : “ ( G ) iven the current circumstances with COVID , he will have to work through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” a spokesman said .
“ Don ’ t tell his mom — she doesn ’ t know yet .
”

I happened to catch a few minutes of Chris Cuomo’s interview with Fauci last week when they were talking about needing to limit Thanksgiving to one’s immediate household this year. And Cuomo said something to the effect of, “I’m not seeing my mom this year, she’ll be with my brother.”
And I thought, “Knowing what the guidance is, Andrew Cuomo’s bringing an elderly woman into his home for Thanksgiving?”
But then I thought, “Nah, c’mon. It must be that she lives with him and is already in the same ‘bubble’ as him.”
So imagine my embarrassment this afternoon upon discovering that, indeed, Cuomo’s bringing an elderly woman into his home for Thanksgiving. And not just her. Apparently his daughters are en route as well, to up the odds of infection a little further. Don’t forget to set an extra plate at the table for ‘rona, my man.
He should be dining alone this year, like me and every other patriot on a wartime footing. When you dine alone, you don’t dine with COVID.
Anyway, I gave him the benefit of the doubt despite knowing that he’s (a) a moron and (b) a terrible leader. I deeply regret the error.
.@NYGovCuomo is having his 89-year old mother and two daughters to Albany for Thanksgiving. “The story is, my mom is going to come up and two of my girls. But the plans change." He has spent the better half of two weeks telling New Yorkers to stay home for the holiday. — Bernadette Hogan (@bern_hogan) November 23, 2020
“So after killing everyone else’s grandmas through his disastrous nursing home order, Cuomo is keen to kill his own,” says Tiana Lowe. Well, his children’s grandma, but yes. America’s worst governor won’t rest until every senior citizen in New York has RSVP’d to the big Thanksgiving dinner in the sky.
He’s getting destroyed for this on social media this evening, and not just by conservatives. There are myriad examples of political leaders setting social-distancing rules for the rabble and then breaking those rules themselves, as we saw most recently with Gavin Newsom’s dinner at The French Laundry. But something about Cuomo going rogue on Thanksgiving feels like the ne plus ultra of the genre. What better embodies America’s humiliating ineptness on the pandemic than having the guy who presided over New York’s spring apocalypse spend weeks warning about the threat from holiday gatherings and then carving the turkey at a big family dinner himself?
With an 89-year-old woman at his side, to boot.
Didn’t … didn’t he just say that he *wasn’t* going to do this?
Andrew Cuomo said last week that he would not be seeing his mother for Thanksgiving because it was too dangerous https://t.co/YypfZJGFvX pic.twitter.com/VGsHmlnQHZ — Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) November 23, 2020
I hope he’s not going to tell us, “Don’t worry, everyone’s getting tested beforehand.” That ain’t going to cut it, chief. Especially if the tests are those rapid ones that tend to produce false negatives, which may or may not explain how we’ve ended up with three or four separate outbreaks at the White House this fall.
Via the Free Beacon, here he is accepting his international Emmy for worst performance by a terrible manager during an epic crisis. Fox host Janice Dean lost both her mother-in-law and father-in-law to New York’s first wave of COVID this past spring and has been demanding accountability from Cuomo ever since for his disastrous policies. She was interviewed this morning on Fox and said something that shocked me even in a year when I thought I’d lost my capacity for shock: “I heard that to get an Emmy Award, you have to send videotape of yourself to the board members. And so to think that the governor was going through some of his TV appearances talking about deaths in New York and submitting those videos to the Emmy folks really makes me physically sick.” Did Cuomo or one of his cronies actually apply for the Emmy? Taking his eye off the ball of containing the virus in order to promote himself sounds, uh … it sounds exactly like something he’d do, come to think of it.
Update: As with Gavin Newsom, this guy had to browbeat by half the Internet for the terrible example he set before realizing the error of his ways. He’s given up on the family dinner: “(G)iven the current circumstances with COVID, he will have to work through Thanksgiving and will not be seeing them,” a spokesman said. “Don’t tell his mom — she doesn’t know yet.”


hotair--2020-11-23--Seattle: Another 34 police officers leave as downtown businesses report an increase in crime

As I write this the Seattle City Council is once again deciding how much to cut from the police budget in 2021 .
Jason Rantz reports the expectation is that the cuts will amount to 17 % of the budget .
Meanwhile , officers continue to leave the force in record numbers : While the Seattle City Council is poised to cut the police budget once again , the mass exodus continues with at least 34 more officers having separated from the department .
The newest staffing data puts the number of officers leaving Seattle in 2020 at 144 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am sad and yet , I ’ m not surprised that many of the great human beings that do the job of policing in Seattle are still leaving SPD at an alarming rate , ” Seattle Police Officers Guild ( SPOG ) President Mike Solan tells the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH .
“ It saddens me because I ’ m witnessing a professional police agency revered by many fall victim to radical activism that is swallowing Seattle.
” While this is happening , crime is up in the city .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found 75 % of them had seen an increase in crime this year : Of the nearly 100 businesses surveyed , more than 75 percent of owners reported an increase in crime between April and September compared to the same time frame last year .
More than 50 percent said that their employees don ’ t feel safe working in Ballard .
One of the more shocking statistics unveiled by the survey alleges that 7,000 “ instances of crime or criminal activity ” were experienced by the 88 businesses – an average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our employees are plagued by habitual shoplifters and harassment , ” said Ken Mahoney , Bartell Drugs Sr. Vice President of Operations .
“ Recently , our Ballard assistant store manager was assaulted .
Consequently , we have had to make significant investments in private security guards to protect our employees and customers as a result of the increased incidences of crime and violence in the neighborhood.
” Why would activists and City Council members keep pushing to slash police budgets when this is happening ?
Writing for City Journal , Christopher Rufo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new , utopian view of policing that has been adopted by the far left .
In short , many of the people demanding cities “ defund the police ” weren ’ t kidding .
In the progressive narrative , American police forces were established to catch fugitive slaves and have acted as the guardians of white supremacy ever since .
As the activist group Decriminalize Seattle argues : “ The police have never served as an adequate response to social problems .
They are rooted in violence against Black people .
In order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls for investing and expanding our safety and well-being beyond policing.
” … According to a set of leaked documents that I obtained from inside the King County Executive ’ s Office , policymakers have laid out the rationale for permanently closing the region ’ s largest jail and ending all youth incarceration—including for minors charged with serious crimes such as rape and murder .
The documents cast the prison system as an institution of “ oppression based on race and built to maintain white supremacy.
” In a pyramid-shaped graphic , policymakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ tip of the iceberg.
” On a deeper level , the justice system is rooted in “ white supremacist culture , ” “ inequitable wealth distribution , ” “ power hoarding , ” and the belief that “ people of color are dangerous or to be feared.
” Once these premises are established , the conclusion is foregone—white supremacy must be eradicated .
To this end , days after I released the internal documents , King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a plan for terminating youth detention and closing the downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the county ’ s jail capacity .
More than half of all inmates are incarcerated for violent crimes ; the plan will release such violent criminals onto the streets .
We ’ ll shutter the jails and simply live in an idyllic paradise where bad things don ’ t happen .
Meanwhile , look at this list of the kind of calls Seattle PD actually responded to last year and tell me whether having fewer police to handle and investigate these crimes and more people who actually commit the crimes back on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2019 , the last full year of data available , Seattle ’ s roughly 600 police officers who work patrol responded to more than 280,000 priority 1 , 2 , or 3 incidents , including : ■ 10,657 assaults , including 3,870 assaults in-progress and 333 incidents where a person was shot or shot at ; ■ 3,664 shots fired or weapons reports ( callers heard shots fired or saw weapons displayed ) ; ■ 6,631 domestic violence related calls and an additional 2,995 calls related to violations of domestic-violence court orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the thousands of shoplifts that are reported online and do not get a police dispatch ) ; ■ 1,409 reports of children who had been abandoned , abused , molested or neglected .
Seattle seems determined to turn the city into a place where more crime happens and fewer people are held accountable when it does .
I don ’ t live there so I get to watch how this experiment in policing works out from afar .
So far it looks like ideological extremism is creating a slow-motion train wreck that @ @ @ @ @

As I write this the Seattle City Council is once again deciding how much to cut from the police budget in 2021. Jason Rantz reports the expectation is that the cuts will amount to 17% of the budget. Meanwhile, officers continue to leave the force in record numbers:
While the Seattle City Council is poised to cut the police budget once again, the mass exodus continues with at least 34 more officers having separated from the department. The newest staffing data puts the number of officers leaving Seattle in 2020 at 144 and counting. This is historically high… “I am sad and yet, I’m not surprised that many of the great human beings that do the job of policing in Seattle are still leaving SPD at an alarming rate,” Seattle Police Officers Guild (SPOG) President Mike Solan tells the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH. “It saddens me because I’m witnessing a professional police agency revered by many fall victim to radical activism that is swallowing Seattle.”
While this is happening, crime is up in the city. A recent survey of small business owners downtown found 75% of them had seen an increase in crime this year:
Of the nearly 100 businesses surveyed, more than 75 percent of owners reported an increase in crime between April and September compared to the same time frame last year. More than 50 percent said that their employees don’t feel safe working in Ballard. One of the more shocking statistics unveiled by the survey alleges that 7,000 “instances of crime or criminal activity” were experienced by the 88 businesses – an average of 40 each day… “In Ballard, our employees are plagued by habitual shoplifters and harassment,” said Ken Mahoney, Bartell Drugs Sr. Vice President of Operations. “Recently, our Ballard assistant store manager was assaulted. Consequently, we have had to make significant investments in private security guards to protect our employees and customers as a result of the increased incidences of crime and violence in the neighborhood.”
Why would activists and City Council members keep pushing to slash police budgets when this is happening? Writing for City Journal, Christopher Rufo argues it’s based on the new, utopian view of policing that has been adopted by the far left. In short, many of the people demanding cities “defund the police” weren’t kidding.
In the progressive narrative, American police forces were established to catch fugitive slaves and have acted as the guardians of white supremacy ever since. As the activist group Decriminalize Seattle argues: “The police have never served as an adequate response to social problems. They are rooted in violence against Black people. In order to protect Black lives, this moment calls for investing and expanding our safety and well-being beyond policing.”… According to a set of leaked documents that I obtained from inside the King County Executive’s Office, policymakers have laid out the rationale for permanently closing the region’s largest jail and ending all youth incarceration—including for minors charged with serious crimes such as rape and murder. The documents cast the prison system as an institution of “oppression based on race and built to maintain white supremacy.” In a pyramid-shaped graphic, policymakers claim that crime and incarceration are merely the “tip of the iceberg.” On a deeper level, the justice system is rooted in “white supremacist culture,” “inequitable wealth distribution,” “power hoarding,” and the belief that “people of color are dangerous or to be feared.” Once these premises are established, the conclusion is foregone—white supremacy must be eradicated. To this end, days after I released the internal documents, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a plan for terminating youth detention and closing the downtown Seattle jail, which represents approximately two-thirds of the county’s jail capacity. More than half of all inmates are incarcerated for violent crimes; the plan will release such violent criminals onto the streets.
We’ll shutter the jails and simply live in an idyllic paradise where bad things don’t happen. Meanwhile, look at this list of the kind of calls Seattle PD actually responded to last year and tell me whether having fewer police to handle and investigate these crimes and more people who actually commit the crimes back on the street is a good plan:
In 2019, the last full year of data available, Seattle’s roughly 600 police officers who work patrol responded to more than 280,000 priority 1, 2, or 3 incidents, including: ■ 10,657 assaults, including 3,870 assaults in-progress and 333 incidents where a person was shot or shot at; ■ 3,664 shots fired or weapons reports (callers heard shots fired or saw weapons displayed); ■ 1,776 robbery or carjacking reports; ■ 10,557 burglary calls, including 5,498 residential burglaries and 1,415 burglary in-progress; ■ 8,977 auto thefts; ■ 6,631 domestic violence related calls and an additional 2,995 calls related to violations of domestic-violence court orders; ■ 17,055 theft calls (not including the thousands of shoplifts that are reported online and do not get a police dispatch); ■ 579 rape calls; ■ 1,409 reports of children who had been abandoned, abused, molested or neglected.
Seattle seems determined to turn the city into a place where more crime happens and fewer people are held accountable when it does. I don’t live there so I get to watch how this experiment in policing works out from afar. So far it looks like ideological extremism is creating a slow-motion train wreck that should be completely avoidable.